Parenthood
by Fallen Ark Angel
Summary: Becoming a father's a wondrous thing...unless it's two years after the kid's birth and the mother is some woman that you hooked up with only a couple of times. Then when you add in the fact that she's taken off and left you with the kid, well, it's not so wondrous any longer. What's Laxus supposed to do with a baby anyhow? And why is Mira so insistent on him keeping it? Huh?
1. Chapter 1

Parenthood

Chapter 1

"I really don't understand how it could have cost so much," Elfman grumbled as Evergreen showed off her nails to him. Well, mainly to his sisters, but he was seated at the bar too. Mira was behind it as always, seemingly overly interested in the intricate design she was sporting and Lisanna was next to her brother, who was more giggly over the fact that Elfman was annoyed.

"You shouldn't offer to take me to get them done, Elfman, if you don't wanna pay the price," Ever told him simply as Mira found herself giggling too.

"Wow," she said through a grin. "The two of you sure have a weird idea of what a date is."

"It wasn't a date!" they both insisted in chorus. Lisanna almost fell out of her chair with that one, she was laughing so hard.

Mira only grinned though, continuing to wipe down the bar. She was so zoned in on her younger siblings that she didn't even notice when a fresh face walked into the guildhall. The second she heard the sound though of the child in the new person's arms, the woman had her full attention.

"There's a baby," Mira announced over the sound of Ever and Elfman feverishly denying their relationship. Lisanna glanced over her shoulder as Lucy and Levy, who were at a table near the lady that just walked in, both jumped up at the sight of a child.

"Ew," Ever said, glancing over there. "I hope it stays over there."

"What's wrong with babies, Evergreen?" Lisanna asked as Mira, unable to contain her excitement, headed over to greet the woman as well. Err, rather to check out that baby.

"Gee, let's see. They add nothing to my life other than poop and piss. So what exactly is right with them?"

"They're not manly," Elfman agreed. Lisanna only giggled before getting up to go over there as well.

"-looking for a wizard. I think he's a member here?" the woman was saying as Lisanna joined the other girls who were taking turns holding the baby. Natsu, who had been entertaining Lucy and Levy by telling some outlandish story, only frowned over at them.

"What's with this chump, huh?" Natsu asked Happy as they stood by with crossed arms. "Babies get all the attention. And for doing what? Things that if I did, I would be scolded for."

"Yes, Natsu. When you drink too much and throw up all over my apartment, I yell at you," Lucy told him with a roll of her eyes as she and Levy passed the blond haired baby back and forth. "I'm so sorry."

"You should be."

"-believe that he's here," the woman was continuing to speak then, though it was only to Mirajane as the others were so entranced by the baby. "His name's Laxus."

"Oh, yeah, Laxus is here," Mirajane said, giggling. "He's even at the guild today."

Then, glancing around, she frowned when she didn't see him.

"Maybe he's downstairs," she said slowly. "I can go get-"

"What do you want with Laxus?" Lisanna asked as she made a face at the baby. "He's stupid."

"I'm the Thunder God," Lucy mocked in a deep voice making the others giggle. "And I'm the strongest mage to ever live."

"I have tons of women," Lisanna went on, taking over the mockery. "No one's as great as me! Worship me!"

Mira made a face at him. "We have a guest."

The woman before them only said, "I need to speak with him. Please."

"How old is your son?" Levy asked as Mirajane went off to get the man.

"He'll be two next month," the brunette told them as the baby took to whining, apparently not liking all the attention he was getting. When he called out for her, she moved to grab him though she seemed annoyed. "His name's Nathan."

"That's cute," Lisanna said as she took to giggling. The woman only took to moving him to one arm, clearly annoyed with the whole situation. As was Natsu, who had taken to trying to do a hand stand to regain the interest of the women. There was nothing he liked less than not being the center of attention.

Lucy only reached over and pushed one of his legs, making him fall over. As Lisanna and Levy laughed, she only shrugged.

"Luce," he complained.

"Oops."

Downstairs, Mirajane found Laxus with Freed and Bickslow, shooting pool. Well, he was shooting pool as they just sat around and told him how awesome he was. He really liked that.

"Laxus," she sang as she came closer to where he was. "You have a-"

'Bring us some beers," he told her simply, not glancing at the barmaid. "And something to eat. Quickly."

"I will gladly do that," she said, giggling. "But right now, you have a visitor."

He was staring down at the table, assessing the billiard balls. "Send him down."

"She."

That made him glance up. "Tell her fuck off."

"L-Laxus-"

"Don't know what the hell's wrong with women nowadays," he grumbled as took to rubbing the end of the pool cue on a piece of chalk. "Always wants relationships and shit. Whatever. But you come up here? When I'm working-"

"You're playng pool."

He gave Mira a look for that. "Run along, barmaid. And get me my-"

"I don't think she's here for that," she said.

"Why not?"

"She's with a baby," Mira said simply. "And she looks like she's in pretty bad shape."

"Huh." Freed glanced at Laxus before Mirajane. "Do you think that she has a job that she wishes for him to do?"

"Maybe," she said with a shrug. "She looks kinda weepy though."

"We should check it out, boss," Bickslow said.

"Check it out," his wooden dolls that were floating around agreed. "Boss."

Grunting, he shoved the pool cue at Freed. "You two idiots stay here and make sure none of these losers try and mess up my game. And I mean if even one ball is off, I'll-"

"We're on it, boss!"

"Of course, Laxus."

Then he nodded at Mirajane. "Come on."

She followed him up the stairs, gushing about how cute the baby was. He just drowned her out though, slyly turning his headphones, which were in, up. He put up with Mira, fine, because he respected her wizardry, but damn if she wasn't annoying as fuck sometimes.

"Get started on those beers," he told her once they were back up stairs. "This won't take long. I expect my food-"

"You're so cute, Laxus."

Grunting, he headed off then to the front of the hall, where the girls were still hanging off the woman and her child, talking a mile a minute about how cute he was. Once Laxus got over there though, they all scrammed, leaving the baby behind.

Their lives were worth more than a raving over how cute a baby was.

"Wonder what she wants," Lisanna mused as they all headed over to the bar to watch from afar with Mirajane. Natsu, who was still annoyed about not being the center of attention, only frowned.

"Still don't get why you all care," he grumbled as Lisanna only reached over to pat him on the head. Lucy took a seat next to Elfman with a sigh.

"Hope it's nothing serious," she said as Levy nodded, still watching. The woman and Laxus seemed to be arguing and then, shocking them all, she literally shoved the baby into the man's hands as well as tossing the diaper bag on her shoulder at him. Then she stormed off.

"Laxus," Evergreen called, getting to her feet immediately and heading over. Not one to be left in the dust about gossip, Mira rushed over as well. The baby was full on wailing then as Laxus only stood there, holding it far from him, while looking rather devastated.

"What happened?" Mira reached out to take the child, if only to calm it down some. Not to mention, she was kinda afraid that Laxus would drop it…

"Apparently," he said slowly before stopping.

"What?" Ever asked him.

"Apparently I have a child," he said slowly. Then swallowing, he said, "And that woman doesn't want it anymore."

"L-Laxus!"

"Mirajane," he said slowly, glancing at her. "I can't...do this."

"Well, duh." She glanced at the guildhall doors, as if waiting for the woman to come back. "We have to go find that-"

"Can you… Where do you drop off a kid?" he asked as Ever took to rubbing his arm, as if soothingly.

"Drop off?" she questioned as she finally got the child to stop crying, though he was still moaning a little. "What do you mean?"

"Is there, like, an orphanage? Or do I leave it at a church or something?" He only looked to Ever. "Do you know?"

"W-Well-"

"You can't get rid of him! That lady's going to come back." Mira made a face at the other S-Class mage. "Laxus-"

"She says she's not and I ain't keeping it," he grumbled, some of the shock wearing off then. "I mean, look at it. It's crying and I don't… I can't even care for a dog!"

"He can't," Ever agreed. "It's true."

"We can't give him to an orphanage," Mira insisted. "We just have to go track down that woman. Do you know her?"

He was blank face again. "I used to screw around with her, yeah, but-"

"Oh, Laxus, gross."

"Well, what do you want me to say?"

Mira looked down at the baby before at him. "How do we know if he's yours?"

"I don't know, Mira. I-"

"He looks like you," she offered up. Ever made a face.

"Cleary this is some sort of a scam," she reasoned. "To get money out of you or-"

"If that was the case, the hell did she just leave it here for?" Laxus' astonishment was turning to anger quickly. "I can't… Mira, take him down to the orphanage or whatever. I can't do this."

And with that he turned and walked away, heading off back down the stairs. Evergreen looked to Mirajane who was just focused on calming the baby down.

"What are we supposed to-"

"We're not getting rid of it," she told her. "That's out of the question. She's going to come back. She's stressed. That's all. We'll keep him until then. An hour. Tops, I bet."

"But Laxus-"

"Laxus is just being Laxus," she said with a shrug. "You know that."

"I guess so." She glanced down at the baby. "Do you really think that it's his?"

"He didn't seem to know anything about it," she said.

"Maybe-"

"Is it ours?"

Lisanna and Lucy were back over then, bouncing up and down as they came to look at the baby some more.

"No," Mira told her sister with an eye roll. "It's, you know, La-"

"Are you serious?" Lucy put a hand to her mouth. "Since when does he have a kid? I-"

"Ew," Natsu said as he came over too. "Laxus protracted!"

"...Procreated?" Lisanna offered up, making a face at him. "Is that what you mean?

"I don't know what I mean, Lisanna," he complained. "This is a lot for me. How am I supposed to kick Laxus' ass now if he's a father? This changes everything!"

Evergreen snorted. "Not if you talk to Laxus."

"… It doesn't matter." Mira told them after a moment. "The woman's coming back. Just watch."

* * *

><p><strong>I'm not even going to play like I know how many chapters this one's going to be. At least five, like always, but probably more. So here we go. <strong>


	2. Chapter 2

Parenthood

Chapter 2

But she didn't. Not in an hour. Not in two. And by close, Mirajane was left with the numbing realization that she wasn't coming back.

The baby didn't seem to miss her much though as for the rest of the day, he was passed back and forth between all the women in the bar as they fawned over him. Even Erza was interested in the child, if only slightly, when she arrived. And Cana, well, Cana mostly just thought the whole thing was funny.

"Laxus had a kid," she laughed as she happily downed a barrel while Lucy recanted the story for her. "This is, like, the best day of my life."

"Supposedly," Evergreen yelled over at her, getting rather red in the face. "No one has any proof that this is his baby. So why don't you just choke on that alcohol, Cana?"

"Aw, what's wrong?" she mocked back over at the other woman, though she wouldn't look full on at her, knowing the power in Ever's eyes. "You upset that it wasn't your baby?"

"You worthless-"

"Now, now," Mira sighed, glancing between them. Elfman, who was next to Evergreen, frowned at the insinuation. "No need to fight. You're going to upset the baby."

Actually, at the moment, he was happily playing with a stuffed toy that they'd found in his diaper bag as Lisanna held him in her lap. Natsu though had finally given up and stomped off back to his house with Happy following, comforting his poor friend. As the day turned to night though, Lucy got worried about them (or rather what they were doing to her apartment) and left for the night.

"I hope everything turns out okay with the baby," she told them as she departed.

She was only the start though. Slowly as the hours came and went, more and more people left. Before Mirajane knew it, closing time was upon them and she still had the child.

"What are we going to do with him?" she asked Evergreen as she went around, closing up for the night. "Is Laxus still downstairs?"

"He left," she told her. "Remember? He wouldn't even come over and look at the baby."

At the moment, said child was snuggled up in Lisanna's lap, sleeping.

"Maybe it's time to just take him to the orphanage or something, Mirajane," Lisanna said slowly. "Or somebody that actually-"

"I'm telling you guys," her big sister insisted. "No one leaves a baby behind. They just don't. She was stressed and probably upset about having never told Laxus about the baby, so she came and left him here. A moment of weakness. But she's still his mother. She'll be back."

"Well, what are we going to do until then?" Evergreen asked. "We can't keep him. Or, well, I can't."

Elfman, who had taken to rather enjoying the baby as well, said, "Can we take him, Mirajane?"

"He can sleep in my room," Lisanna offered.

"No," she told them both, frowning. "He's not a puppy, guys. He's a baby. And he needs his mother."

"But-"

"And if we can't find her," she went on. "Then he needs his daddy."

Ever blinked. "You don't mean-"

"He said he slept with her," Mirajane reasoned. "And the kid looks just like he did when he was young. You've seen the photos."

"Mira, you really shouldn't get involved," Elfman warned. "I-"

"Do men take care of their responsibilities, Elfman?"

"Well, of course," he told his older sister. "And if it was my kid, I'd take it."

"Better not have any kids roaming around," Ever warned under her breath. He only patted her on the head, much to her displeasure.

"But Laxus ain't a man," he told them all then. "So-"

"He's taking his baby back," Mirajane told them all. "And until further notice, that's exactly what this kid is. His baby. So are you going to show me where he lives, Ever, or am I going to have to figure it out on my own?"

Letting out a slow breath, she said, "I guess. But Elfman and Lisanna better not come or else he might not let us in."

"But we can't let him go," Lisanna complained as she snuggled the baby closer. "He's attached to me."

"Go home, Lisanna," Mira said as she came over to them. Taking the child from her, she said, "You too, Elf. Both of you. I'll be home late tonight."

"You sure you don't want me to go, sis?" Elfman asked. "In case he gets, I dunno, violent or something?"

"Laxus wouldn't-"

"I'll be fine, Elfman," Mirajane said, cutting Evergreen off. Bouncing the baby in her arms, she said, "I'll see you when I get home."

After they took off, Mirajane finished closing up the bar before heading out with Evergreen. The baby was awake once more and a little cranky. Mirajane only took to bouncing him though.

"He's pretty big," Ever said slowly, if not a tad awkwardly. Though she was (not) dating her brother, she didn't spend much alone time around the eldest Strauss sibling. "He's two, right?"

"I think that's what Lucy said." She glanced down at the child in her arms. "His name's Nathan."

"That's a dumb name."

"Okay, Evergreen."

"Shut up."

"Maybe Laxus'll change his name," Mira mused. "To something cool."

"Something tells me, Mirajane, that Laxus isn't going to be too interested in doing anything with this kid."

"If it's his baby, he has to be," she insisted.

"You don't know Laxus like I do."

"Of course I do. He-"

"No, Mira, you know what you see up at the guild. When he's moody, selfish, and just mean. He's all those things and more when he's out." Ever shrugged. "Women are just…things to him. And I'm sure that if he does ever think of this kid as his own, it'll just be a product of one of those women. Not an actual baby."

"I don't care what any of you say," Mirajane told her as they walked down the street, the moon hanging high above them. "There's no way that once the shock wears off that Laxus won't take care of him. If he's really his, then he'll have to. I mean, look at how he is with Fairy Tail. He's about killed himself before to protect us. He-"

'Because he thinks of Fairy Tail as his own. He's not going to think of this kid as his own," Ever insisted. "He's going to think of it as that woman trying to screw up his life. He-"

"Laxus is a good person," Mirajane insisted. Glancing down at the baby in her arms, she said, "I just know he is."

When they got to the man's apartment, Evergreen was clearly hesitant. She seemed, in fact, to be contemplating just ditching Mirajane and the demon could tell.

"You can just leave," she told her simply as she took to knocking on the door. "Now that I'm here. I won't tell him that you were involved."

"Really?"

Mira only shrugged. "I doubt you'll be of any help. Just go before he-"

But she already was, taking off back down the hall of the apartment building, calling out a soft thanks over her shoulder. Sigh.

It took some knocking to finally get Laxus to the door. Honestly, Mira was slightly fearful that he wasn't home. But eventually, the door creaked open and she was staring into the eyes of the angry slayer.

"Wha-"

"I brought your baby home," she said as she literally shoved passed him and into the apartment. "He needs to go to bed. I already fed him and apparently, he wears diapers, so there are some in this bag here. Do you need me to teach you how to change-"

"Get the fuck out, Mirajane," he growled though he slammed the door after she came in. "Now. The hell do you think-"

"He's old enough to sleep in bed with you," Mira went on, undeterred as she only went to set the boy on the ground. The toddler only yawned though, standing there and looking around. "But if you're uncomfortable with that, then you could probably make him a little pallet on the floor. You need to make sure that there's nothing he can get into though. I can help-"

"Look, you little-"

"Laxus, don't start, alright?" Mirajane made a face at him as he only glared right back at her. "This hasn't been my best day either, okay? So just take-"

"I told you to take him to-"

"I'm not leaving him with strangers."

"We're strangers!"

"You're his father. You-"

"I am not anything's father," he growled. "I use rubbers, bitch."

She just stared at him then, her gaze so dark that for a moment, he lost some of his momentum and remembered that he wasn't deal with just some woman. He was dealing with the she-devil. She had Satan Soul, which was powerful all alone. And it was one of her weakest forms!

Then she did the most Mirajane thing of all and began to sob.

"I was just trying to help," she cried tears ran down her cheek. "You don't have to be so mean! Or say bad words. I-"

"Mira," he groaned then, not knowing what to do. Tears were not his strong suit. "Stop that. Now. You-"

"I can't help it! You called me-"

"I didn't mean it. I'm just…" Growling then, he took to stomping around. "This is a lot for me, okay? I hadn't seen her in awhile, alright? How the hell was I supposed to know that she was knocked up? Huh? And then she comes to the guildhall, thinking now's a good fucking time to say something? After the thing is already born? The hell did she think-"

Mirajane took to sniffling then. "You're upsetting him."

That was true. The little boy, who apparently was quite nimble on his feet, had run off, away from both of them. He clearly didn't like being left with two people he didn't know. And worst of all, they were yelling!

"I don't care, Mira," he yelled, unable to help it. "I don't want a kid. So take it to some place for unwanted children or something. Alright? I mean, I don't know how many more times I have to say it to you. I don't want it."

"I'm not leaving a baby-"

"then get the fuck out and I'll do it."

"No, Laxus," Mira said, frowning. "Do you know what those places are like?"

"Do you?"

"Well… I know that no one ever takes any of the kids. And usually the people that do hurt them. Or are mean to them."

"Mira-"

"She's coming back," she told him then as she turned to walk off and go see where the little boy had run off to. He was in the kitchen, as she found out. "She has to."

"No, Mira, she doesn't. I know her, alright? We fucked around for awhile. She's… She's no good, alright?"

"Oh, and you're so much better?"

"No, I'm not!" he insisted. "That's what I'm trying to tell you."

"We can't leave him," Mira told him as she found the boy hiding under Laxus' kitchen table. Going to pick him up, she said, "And apparently, I can't leave him with you. So I'm going to-"

"Why do you give a shit, Mira?" Laxus was in the doorway to the kitchen then, glaring in at her. "I mean, seriously. If she hadn't come up to the guild and just drop the baby off at the house, you wouldn't even know about it. I would have given him to someone else and been done with it. So why-"

"Because it didn't happen somewhere else, Laxus. It happened in the guild. And I saw how sad and upset that woman was. And I know that she's coming back for him." She had the child in her arms then and bounced him a little bit as he whined. "I can't just leave him somewhere, with someone that might hurt him. He's a baby. He needs… He needs his mother, but she can't be there. So if you really are his father, then you need to be there."

"I don't want-"

"Yeah, well, sometimes things happen, Laxus. And you're rubber story? I call bullshit."

He blinked, as Mirajane never cursed. Never. As far as he knew, at least.

"You always talk a big game about all the women and all the drunk encounters. The chances of you not using one a couple of times is high. Not to mention, Laxus, they're not a cure-all. Contraceptive isn't a hundred percent. But you know what is?"

He only stared at her, because he'd never heard the tone she was using then.

"Not having sex with anyone and everyone just because you're horny," she told him. "You're an adult. Act like one. This might be your son. And I know that you're still in shock or whatever, but move on. You've got a very short time here to get things all figured out. And if you can't, then I'm going to take him and keep him until she comes back."

Swallowing, he paused for a moment before turning to walk away.

"Then take it," he told her. "I don't want it. You have my permission or whatever. Just get the hell out of my apartment."

"I really thought you'd grown up some, Laxus," she said simply before turning to head out of the apartment, taking the baby with her. "Turns out you're just as much of a dick as you were when we were kids. Huh."

And with that, she left. Laxus only went to lock the door behind her before going to get a bottle of liquor out of the kitchen. He was gong to need it.


	3. Chapter 3

Parenthood

Chapter 3

"You like chicken? Huh?"

"Yes," the little boy said, making the women gathered around him giggle. Except for Mirajane who was working behind the bar they'd set him up on, clearly tired and exasperated.

"He's so cute, right?" Lisanna was saying as she, Lucy, and Levy all watched him pick up the ripped up pieces of meat off the plate in front of him. Further down the bar, another person sat on it. That was, of course, Master Makarov, who would randomly glance over at the child before going back to glaring at the guildhall doors.

He was waiting for someone.

"Super cute," Lucy agreed with a giggle. "Don't you think so, Natsu?"

"No," he grumbled from where he was seated on the bar, facing forwards, Happy resting on his head. "Me and Hap think that you guys are going crazy. You think that a baby is more entertaining than me? Seriously?"

"I think leprosy is more entertaining than you," Lucy told him bluntly.

"Well, yeah, Luce. Having a leopard would be way more entertaining than me! Is that an option?"

Rolling her eyes, she tuned back into the baby before her who seemed to be in a better mood than the pervious day. Lisanna insisted that he was become more accustom to them, but Lucy wasn't so sure that he was just glad to be feed.

"What are you doing, shrimp?" Gajeel growled as he walked passed. "I thought today we agreed that you were going with me and Lily to-"

"That was before I knew that the baby was staying here," she said. "Now though-"

"It's just a damn tiny human," he complained. "What's so great about-"

"See?" Natsu pointed at the other slayer. "Even Gajeel agrees with me!"

Frowning, the Iron Dragon made a face before saying, "No, I don't. Even I think that the baby is better than you, fire breath."

"Hey!"

"Mirajane," Makarov spoke up then.

"Yes, Master?"

"If he does not arrive in the next twenty minutes, I want you to find one of his bodyguards and have them bring him to me," the old man told her. "I am growing impatient."

She only bowed her head. "Of course, Master."

It was after fifteen though that Laxus entered. He seemed to be ready to just go to his normal table and await Mirajane to bring him a beer…until he saw the child sitting up on the bar, being fawned over by the girls.

"Mira," he growled as he came closer. "What are you still doing with it? I told you-"

"Laxus." Makarov jumped down from the bar then, landing on the ground in front of his grandson. Having not noticed him before, the Thunder God only frowned before looking at Mirajane.

"You told on me?" he asked, as if in shock.

"No," she said. "He was here when I got here with the baby today. He wanted to know who-"

"We need to speak," Makarov cut her off, staring hard up at his grandson. "Now."

"No. This isn't any of your business. You-"

"Now, Laxus."

He was red in the face, looking about ready to strike somebody, before he just turned to follow Makarov off to some back room of the guild. Mirajane looked after them before letting out a soft sigh.

"You okay?"

She glanced back over at the child to see Levy, who was seated at the bar, staring at her. Mirajane only smiled though.

"Yeah," she said. Now that Master was involved, she was certain that it would all be resolved within the next hour. "I'm fine."

At that point, the little boy, Nathan, was busy playing with Lisanna, who'd found a little toy car in his diaper bag, which she rolled around on the countertop. Mirajane thought about telling her to knock it off before just shaking her head. She had other things to worry about.

Twenty or so minutes had passed before Laxus and Makarov returned. And even then, the guild master only went to reclaim his spot on the bar as Laxus only went over to his supposed child.

"Where's Mira?" he asked the girls who frowned when he reached out to grab the child.

"She went to bring beers to the guys downstairs," Lisanna said. "What are you-"

"Tell her that I have the kid," Laxus said before looking to Lucy. "Clean up all his shit and put it in that stupid bag he has."

"Wh-"

"Now."

"No," Levy said, frowning. "What are you going to do with him? You-"

"It's fine," Makarov spoke up from where he was sitting. "Laxus is doing what I'm telling him to do."

"What did you tell him to do?"

They all glanced up as Mira was back to them then, carrying the empty tray with her. She was only looking to Makarov though.

"He's taking the child home. The guild is not an appropriate place for-"

"But he might do something to him," Mira said before she could help herself. Then, after a moment, she realized who she'd spoken out against and said, "I mean, Master, I-"

"Then go with him," he said with a shrug. "I do not care. Kinana is here. And Lisanna. You may go."

That made Laxus frown, but he didn't ague. Only shoved the child off on Mirajane when she came closer.

"Come on," he grumbled as Lisanna hurried packed the kid's toys back into his diaper bag before handing it off to her sister. "Let's go."

"Where are we going?" she asked as she hurried to follow the man, who was walking at a fast clip out of the guildhall. "Laxus?"

"To Porlyusica."

"W-What? Why-"

"She'll know."

"Know what?"

"If it's my kid or not," he said simply. "Besides, Gramps said to take him there, so that's where we're going."

"But-"

"If you don't wnana go, Mira-"

"No, I do," she assured him as the child in her arm took to wigging. "But just hold on. And stop walking so fast. He wants down."

Snort. "And?"

"And he can walk, so it's silly for me to carry him. He'll just hold my hand. You can't walk so quickly though."

Growling then as they made it out of the guildhall, he said, "I just want to get this the fuck over with, Mirajane. Why-"

"Being mean to him whether he's your son or not is going to help anything," she told him with a frown. "Is it?"

So he let her put the toddler down then, who immediately took to holding the woman's hand. Not before making a request though.

"Mama?" he asked her as Mira only frowned. It only got a snort out of Laxus however.

"You'll see her soon," Mirajane assured the toddler in that overly peppy tone she always had. Laxus only kept walking. "I'm sure of it."

Then, after a moment or two of walking in silence, she spoke again. That time to Laxus.

"What did Master say to you?" she asked.

Grunt.

"I'm only-"

"That I needed to get this all sorted out and fast," he told her simply. "Because if Ivan hears that I have a child, one that I do not want, he'll try and take him."

"W-Why?"

He only shrugged. "Another test subject, I guess."

"I'm sorry."

"Whatever."

She had all sorts of annoying ways to keep the child entertained as they walked along. She sang to him, told him stories, and even tried to teach him to count. Laxus just wanted to bang his skull in. Why had he let her come along? Why?

When they made it, finally, to Porlyusica's tiny literal treehouse, the man was more than ready to get the whole thing finished with. Best case scenario was, of course, that the child wasn't his and he could just let Mirajane do whatever the fuck she wanted with it. Honestly, that was the only thing he was hoping for.

"What do you want?" was the first thing Porlyusica asked them the second she saw them approach. She was outside of her home, broom in hand, and honestly, Laxus just didn't feel like getting hit by that. He'd been smacked by it the good side of a million times since he was a child and, well, he was pretty set on never getting another one. "What-"

"I have a complication," Laxus said simply, standing in front of Mirajane as he stared at the old woman. Time was not doing her well and, soon enough, it would be Wendy that they were all at the mercy of. At least she was kinder. "That I need your help with."

"Spit it out then."

He nodded down at the child. "This might be mine."

She blinked. Then she frowned, looking hard at Mirajane. Realizing what she was thinking, the barmaid quickly let go of the child's hand.

"It's not mine," she insisted, blushing deeply. Laxus rolled his eyes.

"Some woman just showed up with it at the guildhall," he told the healing mage as the child took to running around. Apparently, he liked the forest. "Says it's mine. Then she left. So… Can you help me out here or what?"

Leaning against her broom, she stared down at the child before glancing back up at him. "Your grandfather sent you?"

Grunt.

"Then I suppose I must," she complained before turning to walk over to her house. "Come inside. All three of you. But grab that brat! I don't want him messing anything up."

Laxus left the instruction to Mirajane. She only rushed to do so before following.

"His name's Nathan," she told the woman though Laxus was sure the old woman didn't care.

"How unfortunate."

Rolling her eyes, Mirajane said, "What are you going to do? To determine if they're father and son or not?"

"For me, it shall be simple. And free," she said as Laxus took to crossing his arms. "Set the child on the cot."

After doing so, Mira took a step back. The baby didn't like this though and reached out for her. She was the only one in the room that he was familiar with, after all.

"Stay," Mirajane told him, reaching out to pat him on the head. "It's okay. It won't hurt… Will it?"

Prolyusica only shrugged as she came closer. Reaching out, it looked like she was going to pat the kid on the head too…before she grabbed some of his hair and tugged it out.

"Hey!" Mira yelled at her as Laxus too moved to stop her. This made the child immediately begin to sob, causing Mira to lift him into her arms in an attempt to sooth him.

"Do you want me to do it to you?" Porlyusica asked Laxus as she held out her other hand. "Or can you do it?"

Reaching up, he made a face as he pulled a few strands of his own hair out. Mira had finally gotten the child quiet, though he was still sniffling. Even Laxus felt a little bad for him.

"Go wait outside," she told them both then. Mira was already headed that way though, glaring over at the woman as she held the child protectively to her. "It will take some time."

Once they were out there, Mira tried to set the baby down, but he wouldn't let go. So she only went to lean up against one of the trees, singing softly in his ear. It wasn't a lullaby, but rather one of her songs. He recognized it from when she'd sing in the guildhall.

"You're good with him," he said finally, slowly. He wanted to be angry at her, but even that was falling short. If it was his kid then she was the sole person that cared for him in those moments. And even if he wasn't, even better for her that she cared for an orphaned child.

He figured it stemmed from her own life though.

Mirajane glanced up at him, stopping with her song then as the toddler only laid against her. "Yeah, well."

"You'd… You'd make a good mother." He was trying to be nice, but it wasn't his strong suit. "Or whatever. Eventually."

"I just don't like seeing someone hurt," she said. "Especially not a baby."

Grunt. Then, coming closer, he said, "That's 'cause you're a good person, Mirajane. But me? I'm not. I can't…take care of a baby. I'm not-"

"Then don't," she told him.

"Huh?"

"If it's yours, don't take care of him. I don't care," she said with a shrug. "But you're going to find a family to take him. Not just dump him somewhere that might hurt him."

He let out a sigh then. "Gramps says that-"

"He's too old to deal with your mistake, Laxus," Mira told him simply. "He's got the weight of the guild on him. You want to add this?"

"I'm not saying that I'd give the kid to him. I'm just saying that he wants me to keep it. To keep it safe from Ivan."

"What do you want?" she asked. "Huh?"

"I don't know. Not a kid."

She looked down at the baby in her arms before back up at him. "You might have one though."

"Yeah," he sighed, kicking at the ground. "I know."

"And…and you're a mage. So you couldn't take care of a toddler," she said after a moment. "Not alone."

"Then you see my problem."

"You'd just need…like…someone to watch him. While you're gone."

"And what? Someone's going to wanna watch my kid for me? The one that I don't even-"

"It's called a babysitter, Laxus," she said. "And I'm sure you could find someone. I mean, you do know like, what? A thousand women?"

Taking that as a dig, he went to stand and wait a little further away from her. Eventually though, as the time wore on, Nathan got restless and began to wiggle. Mirajane dropped him gently on the ground which the boy took as meaning he could go back to running around.

"He's energetic," she said softly, glancing at Laxus. He wouldn't look at her though as his eyes followed the child as he rushed around the clearing. After a moment, she went to stand next to him.

"I can't have a kid," he repeated to her, that time with more feeling than before. "I really can't."

Slipping her hand into his, she shocked him for a moment. When he glanced down at her though, Mirajane only smiled, as if in a comforting manner.

"You're a member of Fairy Tail, Laxus," she told him as he learned slowly to like the feeling of her hand in his. "You take the things that can't happen in life, that you can't do, and you deal with them. We all do. It's just who we are."

A soft sigh escaped his lips. "It's who we are."


	4. Chapter 4

Parenthood

Chapter 4

When they arrived back at his apartment, Laxus wanted nothing more than to go find another bottle of liquor and down it. But he had Mirajane and the kid with him.

The kid. His kid.

Ugh.

"Okay, so I think he's getting sleepy," Mirajane announced softly once they were there. She'd taken to not being so forceful with Laxus since they'd left Porlyusica's place. He figured that she was trying to be courteous of his feelings. "So do you want him to sleep in your bed or should I make him a little bed here, on the living room floor?"

His blank stare gave her enough of an answer.

"Okay, Nate. Stay in here with Laxus, huh?" Mirajane sat the boy on the floor. "I'll be right back. Laxus, I need to go into your room to get some blankets and a pillow. Is that fine?"

Nothing. He only went to sit on the couch. As she took that for a for a yes and went off, Laxus only took to resting his head in his hands.

What was he going to do with a kid? He wasn't someone that could be a father. He wouldn't even be able to care for one of those damn cats the other slayers had. He'd probably forget to feed it or it would talk too much and he'd kill it.

No. Laxus Dreyar was not someone that could care for things.

But okay then. Alright. So that meant that he had to do like Mirajane said. He had to find someone else to care for the kid. He'd agreed with her not to just drop it off at some orphanage and forget about it. Okay. There had to be tons of nice families that wanted a baby, but couldn't have one.

Right?

Something about being left alone with his now confirmed father upset the little boy. It probably had more to do with the fact that Mirajane, the person who'd been caring for him for the past day and a half, had disappeared. Either way, he threw his head back and began to wail.

"Mira," Laxus called immediately. "Something's wrong with it."

"Mama," the toddler was screeching, stomping his feet. "Mama."

"Oh, no." Mirajane came rushing back, arms full of his blankets from his bed and a pillow. "What's wrong, baby?"

"I think it's dying."

"Laxus," she groaned as she dropped what was in her arm when she was close enough. Reaching out, she took the toddler into her arms, snuggling him close to her. "Are you okay, baby? Huh?"

He didn't wanna be calmed down that time though. He'd had enough. He wanted to go home and see his own mother and sleep in his own crib and be far away from the horrible people Mama had left him with.

"Mira, get to him to shut up," Laxus finally growled, annoyed. Getting up from the couch, he headed off to his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

She only rolled her eyes though. She'd deal with him later. At the moment, all her attention had to go with the actual child, not the man acting like one.

It took making that pallet for him on the ground and laying down on it with him to get the toddler calmed down. She only laid on her side next to him, gently rubbing his tummy, and singing to him until he eventually drifted off.

She was in the kitchen, fixing lunch, when Laxus poked his head in.

"It didn't die, did it?"

She was busy making sandwiches and hardly glanced at him.

"From now on," she said simply, "we know not to skip naptime."

"All that to get it to go to sleep?"

"Stop calling him an it."

"I can call it whatever I want," he grumbled, coming further into the room. "And what are you doing in here, Mirajane?"

"Keep your voice down, unless you want to wake him again," she told him with a sigh. "And I'm making lunch, Laxus. I did just sacrifice my entire work day to be here with you, so the least you could do is spare some lunchmeat."

"Well-"

"Here's yours," she said, holding out a plate to him when he got close enough.

"You made me-"

"Well, it's your house, isn't it? What would I look like, not making you anything to eat?"

He only narrowed his eyes at her, as if suspicious. "Why are you being nice to me? Huh? Mira? I ain't ever been overly kind to you. So why-"

"I don't care about you, Laxus," she told him. "I think you're in a bad situation right now, but honestly, I don't care. I just care about the baby getting somewhere that he can be well taken care of. You're only a byproduct of that."

Snort. Then, glancing down at the plate of sandwiches, he said, "So what now? I'm the father, fine. What do we do now? You said that I need to find him a family. How do I do that? I can't…sell him. Or can I?"

"Laxus-"

"Just tell me what to do."

She let out a slow breath. "I don't know. If I had a baby, there'd be no way that I'd give it away. So-"

"Well, do I have a deal for you."

"Laxus-"

"I don't know anybody that would want a baby," he told her then. "I mean, if it's a product of me, you'd think that everyone would want it though, right?"

"I'm not in the mood, Laxus. This is serious."

Growling, he went to take a seat over at the kitchen table. "Are you gonna help me out then? To find someone to take the baby? I mean, you work in modeling. Do any of your people there want a baby?"

"I can ask around," she said slowly. "But-"

"And what am I going to do with him tonight? Are you going to take him back up to the guildhall with you? Or something? Because I can't… Mira…"

"I'll stay," she told him softly then, still not glancing over at him.

"You'll stay?"

"Here. With you," she told him. "Just for the rest of the day. And I guess the night too, to make sure that he's fine here."

"Mira-"

"But I am not a babysitter, Laxus. I work at the bar. That is what I do. So you need to start calling all your women to find one that wants to take care of this baby for you," she told him.

"But all the women that I hookup with are…I dunno. I wouldn't think they'd be any good with kids."

"I don't care," she told him. "I really don't. This isn't my problem. Not really."

"You've made it your problem up until this point, so-"

"But I have to work, Laxus. I need money. It's just me and my brother and sister in that house. If I'm not making money-"

"Can I pay you?"

That made her pause. "Pay me?"

He shrugged. "You're the only woman I know that isn't a whore."

"Laxus, that's a really derogatory word. And just because a woman sleeps with you, I mean, yeah, she has horrible judgment and taste in men, but that doesn't make her-"

"You're annoying me," he warned then, just to get her quiet. Once she was, he went on. "How much does Gramps pay you at the bar?"

"It's not about the base pay, Laxus. I make so much more in tips and-"

"I'll double what he pays you."

"Laxus-"

"Triple," he said, shutting her right up once more. "And extra when you spend the night. Please, Mira? I don't… I don't want him, but I can't just ditch him either. So...help me. I'll give you the money for the rest of this week up front. Just let me go to the bank and-"

"But what about the bar? And-"

"Tell your sister to watch it. Or Kinana. Or have them do whatever the hell they did while you were trapped in Tenrou. I don't give a damn," he said with a shake of his head. "I need you here. You know how to…make it shut up when it starts screaming and change it's diaper and I mean, hell, Mirajane, other than Ever, you're the only woman in my life that I actually remotely thinks is kinda okay. I mean, I guess I could ask Erza, but she-"

"Erza?"

"Well, if you say no and I know that Evergreen'll say yes because I'm asking, but won't be good with it, I really don't have a lot of-"

"I'll do it," she said without thinking. The mention of Erza possibly taking care of the child instead of her was something that made Mirajane feel funny inside. It wasn't like she and Erza were still rivals or something. Oh, no. They were friends. Great friends.

But still…

"Really?" Laxus asked, as if in shock.

"Mmmhmm," she said, nodding her head slightly. "But you're going to have to keep looking for someone, Laxus. This isn't a permanent fix. This is only-"

'I know," he said. "And I'll pay you too, Mirajane. Just let me finish eating and I'll go down to the bank, huh? Pull out the jewels?"

She shrugged. "It doesn't all have to be right now."

"But I'll pay you for today, at least."

"Well, you also need to get a few things for Nathan."

"Huh?"

"He needs more diapers, Laxus," she told him with a sigh. "And some things to play with. He only has a few toys in his diaper bag. And-"

"What if I give you some cash and you go get all this?" he asked. His tone was one that she'd never heard from him before. Almost…panicky. Or maybe as if he were begging. Groveling.

He must have been really afraid to be alone with the baby.

"Not the money I'm paying you," he went on. "I'll give you some jewels just to buy him things. Do you know what he needs?"

"Well, yeah, I guess. But-"

"I'll go get the cash. Then when he wakes up or whatever, you can-"

"Yeah, Laxus. That's fine."

"Okay," he said, letting out a slow breath. "I-"

"But this isn't going to be cheap," she told him. "He needs, most importantly, some actual blankets and pillows. Or, better yet, a playpen would be nice. I could make him a little-"

"Mira," he cut her off, his tone taking that his usual swagger once more. "Money is no problem with me."

Rolling her eyes, she said, "Fine. Then I guess we're in business, Mr. Dreyar."

He only cocked his head to the side. "Guess so."

* * *

><p>"Laxus, are you even looking at the price tags?"<p>

He only tossed another stuffed animal into the basket. "Should I be?"

"Well," Mirajane said slowly as Nathan, who was holding onto her hand, started to pull away. He was really interested in all the different things around the toy store. "Toys aren't exactly inexpensive. And we don't know how long we'll be keeping him. Not to mention, we still need to hit a store to get his diapers, playpen, some food-"

"Did you not hear me tell you money was no object?" He put a set of action figures into the cart Mirajane was pushing. "Besides, if these will all keep him quiet and get him to leave me alone, he can have whatever the fuck he wants."

"You can't curse in front of-"

"You're the hired help now," he reminded her. "So shut up."

Mirajane only frowned as they went to store after store, buying more and more things. By the time they got back to Laxus' apartment, he had to have spent more on the child than she made in a month.

She dropped all the bags with toys inside of them while Laxus, who'd had to carry the box with the playpen in it, went to put that in the corner. Nathan was overly enjoying pulling all his little stuffed animals from the bags though and paid the rest of them little mind.

"We still have to go back out," Mirajane told Laxus. "We only came to drop stuff off. Remember? We still need to buy some food."

"I got food."

"Not things a toddler can eat, Laxus," she sighed. "And we need a few more changes of clothes for him."

Grunt. He'd pulled a pocket knife out of his pocket and began cutting the tape around the box before opening it and peeking inside.

"I gotta put this thingy together," he told her. "Then we can go back out."

"Or you could give me some jewels and I could just go out. Me and the baby."

Nathan didn't seem like he was planning on going anywhere, honestly. He was living the high life at the moment and was busy snuggling all his different stuffed toys to him.

"Whatever." Laxus reached into his pocket before tossing his wallet at her. "Take it, if you wanna."

When they left him, the slayer was optimistic. No way a silly little thing like a playpen could get the best of him, he insisted. Whatever. Mirajane only took the whining Nathan who insisted on at least carrying one of his stuffed dogs along with him back out of the apartment to go back shopping.

First though, she stopped off at her own home.

"Mira," Lisanna complained when she walked into the living room. "Where have you been? I waited up at the guild for you to come back, but-"

"The baby is his," Mira sighed as she closed the front door behind her. "And he is not happy."

"What?" Lisanna, who was sitting on the couch reading a magazine, sat up. "Are you-"

"Hi," Nathan, who had been holding onto Mirajane's hand, called out. Lisanna frowned before waving at him slightly.

"Why do you still have him?" she asked, getting up then to go pick up the toddler. Nathan only shoved his stuffed dog in her face. "Mira?"

"I have a new job venture," she said simply. Lisanna only stood there, waiting for an explanation.

"I'm a nanny."

"Mira-"

"He's paying me more than I could make at the guild in a week, Lisanna, just for a day. And for what? Taking care of a cute little baby?" She gave her sister a look. "You know how we've needed to get the guest bathroom sink fixed forever? By the end of the week, I'll have more than enough to do that. And we can finally buy Elf a new bed. You know he needs one. And you can go shopping. I mean, if I stretch this into a month, I could buy myself that new living room set I want."

Lisanna only stared at her. "Laxus has this type of cash?"

"Supposedly. And if he doesn't, then I guess he'll be taking some S-Class missions to make up for it."

"Hmmm." She took to staring at the little toddler in her arms. "So I guess I have to be making up for you at the bar?"

"Just for a little bit. I'm sure Kinana will get most of the work done. You know how efficient she is these days. As good as me."

"Not quite, but-"

"And look at him," she said, gesturing to the child in her sister's arms. "He's an angel. This is going to be the easier money I've ever made."

Lisanna only stared hard at her sister. "Is he keeping him then?"

"No," she sighed. "He's going to be looking for someone to take him. A family that wants a baby."

"Then you better be careful, Mirajane," she sighed as she sat the wiggling baby back down on the ground.

"Careful of what?"

"I know you," Lisanna told her. "You get attached to things far too easily."

"Oh, Lisanna," she said with a roll of her eyes. "I won't."

"Uh-huh."

"Seriously," she insisted. "I would love to have a baby. My own. But this is just Laxus' kid. Laxus. Who I'm not even close to. I'm just going to babysit for him until he finds a more real solution to the problem."

"Alright," Lisanna sighed. "It's your gig, not mine."

Mira only let out a soft breath. "This is going to work out fine. Trust me."

Then, in a more teasing tone and with a glint in her eyes, she said, "You know what they always say about the father and the babysitter."

"Lisanna-"

She only giggled. "Don't fall for the employer, Mirajane."

She only made a face before going to find where Nathan had run off to.

"Trust me," she said simply. "That won't be a problem."


	5. Chapter 5

Parenthood

Chapter 5

"Well, this is a little disappointing."

Laxus wouldn't look up at Mirajane though as she came into the room, instead continuing to glare down at the floor as he sat on the couch, eyes glaring down. Nathan, who had been holding onto Mira's dress as her hands were full, let go and rushed back into the room. Over on the corner sat the parts of the unfinished playpen, but that didn't interest him. Oh no. He still had all those toys to play with.

"What happened?" Mira asked Laxus as she closed the door before heading to the kitchen to start putting the food portion of the groceries away. "Laxus?"

"It's stupid is what happened."

Rolling her eyes, she said, "Well, I'll look at it and see if-"

"Mira, if I can't do it, why the hell do you think that you can?"

"I'm just being helpful, Laxus."

"Well, knock it off."

When she made it back into the living room, it was to find him back over at the mess of parts, trying once more to put it together. She only sighed, heading towards the bathroom.

"I'll put his diapers and stuff in here, all right, Laxus?"

"Whatever."

She took a moment to stare at herself in the mirror. Could she really, truly, put up with Laxus for…however long it was that she was going to be putting up with him?

She wasn't sure.

"What are we going to do with all his toys?" Mirajane asked as she got back to the living room. "We can't just leave them laying out all the time."

Grunt.

Sighing, she went to sit on the floor with the little boy and help him get some of his other toys out of boxes and containers they were in.

"I guess I'll buy him a toy box next time I go out."

"Mama?" Nathan asked Mirajane after a few moments, tilting his head back to stare up at her. She only took to playing with him to distract him.

At that point, she didn't know what to say about his mother. She honestly thought that the woman would be back already.

"Hey, Laxus?"

Grunt.

"Do you know where his mother lives?"

"No," he grumbled.

"But I thought-"

"I don't go to women's houses, Mira," he said. "That's stupid."

"Then they come here?"

"Gross. No. I don't want whores in my apartment."

"Laxus-"

"I take them to hotels and shit. Or hook up with them in other places." He was so invested in his work then that he wouldn't even look back at her. "Why? Where do you hookup with men?"

"I-I don't… I'm not like you," she told him, blushing then. Nathan was gently tapping one of his new action figures against her arm, trying to get her attention, but she could only stare in shock over at the man's father. "I don't…hookup, Laxus. If I'm dating a man, I might…I… I don't want to talk about this!"

"Then shut the hell up. And hand me my headphones," he said, nodding over to where they sat on the couch. "The sound of you and him breathing is bothering me."

Rolling her eyes, she went to go do so, if only to get him zoned in on something else.

"I'm not a whore," she grumbled softly as she handed over his Sound Pod. He was on the ground while she was standing and actually looked up at her in shock after that statement.

"I never you were," he told her.

"You call all the women that you hookup with whores and then you accused me of doing the same with other guys. You-"

"They aren't whores because they have sex with me," he said. "They're whores because they throw themselves at me. They want to have the prestige of saying they've had sex with me. They think that I actually give a shit about them. They're stupid."

"Laxus-"

He only shrugged as he moved to hook his headphones onto his ears. "I don't think of you like that, Mira. I assume that if you do… I mean, I've met your boyfriends before. I was just being a dick by asking it like that."

They were both feeling awkward then and it was obvious, so she quickly went back to the little boy as he only started working once more on making the playpen.

And man if he didn't feel accomplished when that was done. He didn't mean to, but he did kinda grin, betraying his usual unattached demeanor.

"Wow, Nathan," Mirajane said as she went to set him in it. "See? Now you can be in here when Laxus is busy and I'm not around."

"Not around?" Laxus glanced at her. "I thought-"

"I have to go home at times, Laxus," she told him. "Besides, I can't stay every night."

"Why not?"

"Well… Where would I sleep?"

"In bed," he said with a slight shrug. Then she, as she was close enough, she landed a rather hard punch to his arm.

"Mira!"

"We're not… Laxus!"

"I didn't mean it like that," he growled, rubbing at his arm. "I was going to sleep out here on the couch. Unless you want to. I really don't give two shits. But hit me again and you're gonna get backhanded."

"The couch will be fine," she huffed, looking off.

"Whatever. I try and be nice and this is what I get?" He headed for the door then, but stopped short. "My wallet?"

Mira had set it on the coffee table, but quickly went to hand it over to him. Then he was gone and she had a feeling he would be for awhile.

"That's okay though, Nate," Mirajane told the little boy who was trying in vain to escape his new prison. Reaching into the playpen, she left him out before setting him on the ground. "Me and you are just fine on our own. Aren't we?"

She must have sang to him a thousand times that night. He really liked it. And she made him dinner from the things that she'd bought, as well as a plate for Laxus, which she put in the fridge. Just in case he was hungry when he got home.

"I'm a babysitter," she reminded herself. "Not a butler."

Still though, she figured it wouldn't hurt anything to make him dinner, just that once.

Nathan thoroughly liked his own though, giggling the all the while and, a couple of times, trying to feed Mirajane some of it as well. She'd only smile and let him while congratulating him on sharing.

She was busying trying to bathe him when Laxus came home. And he only stood in the doorway of the bathroom, peeking in, watching as she sat on her knees next to the tub and attempted to clean the dirty child.

"If it gets water on the floor," he said simply, "you have to clean it up."

She frowned over her shoulder as Nathan continued to splash around in the bath. "You could help, you know."

He only shrugged before turning and walking off. Not a moment alter, Mira heard his bedroom door shut.

Nathan made a noise at the sound, looking up, but Mirajane only went back to scrubbing at him.

He was rather dirty.

After his bath, Mirajane went to work making the toddler a bed out of his playpen. Then she laid him down in it, though he didn't rather seem to like that. He kept standing up and whining for her to take him out. She only turned off the light in the living room and went to lie down on the couch.

He wouldn't stop crying though. When he began whining for his mother, Mirajane only sighed and began to sing to him, wishing she had her guitar so she could at least practice while she was at it.

Twenty minutes passed before the boy drifted off. And even then, Mirajane only laid there in the darkness, as if holding her breath and waiting for him to wake back up. It wasn't until Laxus showed back up in the room that she sat up.

"Shhh," she shushed him as she pushed off the couch and followed him into the living room. "The baby's sleeping."

"Great," he grumbled as he went to open his fridge and peer inside. "So I can even use my own damn living room?"

"I think he's down for the night," Mirajane said simply. "So… Now what should I do?"

"I don't know," he grumbled. "What do you usually do?"

"I'd still be up at the bar," she told him. "And hey, I made you a plate in there. Wrapped in foil? It's your dinner."

That made him glance back at her. "Why-"

"I had to eat, so I just figured I'd make you something."

Grunt. Then he grabbed the plate and went to reheat it.

"I have some books," he offered to her then.

"What?"

"You asked what there was to do until the kid woke back up," he told her. "In my room, there's some books. You can read one of those if you wanna."

"Like books on magic or-"

"Books, Mira. Like…novels."

She frowned. "You read?"

"I ain't some kinda Neanderthal," he grumbled, glaring over at her. "Don't read 'em if you don't wanna. I don't care. I was just trying to be nice."

Curiosity got the better of her then as she headed out of the kitchen and to his bedroom. What sorts of books did Laxus Dreyar read? Probably some sort of graphic horror.

Or worse. Some sort of erotica.

Still though, you never knew until you check yourself, which was Mirajane's main driving force behind most of her snooping. That and the fact that she wanted to know everything and anything about everyone and anyone.

It was one of her faults, sue her.

She'd be in his bedroom that once, to grab the blanket and pillow for Nathan's nap, but she'd never actually looked around. It was big enough to house both a desk and a dresser, as wall as a tiny bookshelf in the far corner. Going over to it, Mirajane bent over as she began glancing at the titles and the authors, trying to see if she recognized any.

Right off the bat she noticed two books of spells, but most mages had a couple of those lying around.

Most of the books though, as she found out, appeared to be adventure fantasy style, the covers having mountains or forests on them and the backs claiming to be about someone traveling to a distant land and battle all sorts of evil. Then there were the nonfiction ones, which appeared to just traveler' guides and things.

"I said you could pick one. Not go through them all," she heard from behind her.

"You like traveling?" Mirajane asked, glancing back at him. Laxus only grunted.

"What? You wanna stay in Magnolia for freaking ever?" he grumbled, coming further into the room. "Besides, I leave Fiore a lot. I need to know about the other-"

"You've left Fiore?" she asked, looking over at him in shock.

"Well, yeah," he grumbled. "Haven't you?"

"Not really," she said slowly. "I mean…my villiage was in Fiore and then Fairy Tail is, so-"

"You should," he told her simply, his voice still sounding rather gruff, but it seemed more forced then than usually. "Travel. Why just stay here? I mean, what do you got going for you? Being a bartender?"

"Fairy Tail-"

"There's more to life than Fairy Tail," he told her simply. Slowly, he came over to the book case and pulled one out. It was a thick book. A travelers guide to Isvan. "Here. Look over this."

She took it from him, still a little shocked by not only his attitude, reading material, and demeanor, but mostly their proximity. He was so close and just staring down at her. As if he were actually interested in her.

Then the moment was over and he was walking back out of the room, no doubt figuring his food was finally warmed up, leaving her alone once more in the bedroom. Taking the book, she went over to his desk and took a seat. Spread across it were many things, mostly weird letters that, after glancing through them, Mira saw were from some of his, err, women, mostly wondering why he didn't respond or wouldn't speak to them anymore. There were some bills as well though and even a journal full of what looked like a list of things he ate and his workout schedules, kept daily.

"Little obsessive," she mumbled before figuring she'd better go ahead and get down to reading a little bit of the book, if only so that Laxus didn't accuse her of snooping again.

She was busy mostly looking at all the pictures of different tourist attractions in Isvan when Laxus came back into the room, no doubt finished eating.

"Need to mark this," he mumbled, coming up behind her. He picked up a pen and marked down on the journal what he'd just eaten. Mirajane watched before glancing up at him.

"Why do you-"

"I have the body of a god, Mirajane," he grumbled as he then shut the journal and sat it to the side. Taking a step away from her and the desk, he said, "You think genetics gave it to me? You seen Ivan or Makarov? I built this right here. I'm like a sculpture. I-"

"And the moment's over," she told him to which Laxus only snorted before going to lay down on his bed, grabbing a book off his nightstand.

"Whatever," he grumbled. "Just don't bother me."

It was like that for an hour at least. Nathan crying was what finally forced Mirajane to leave the room, Laxus calling for her to make him shut up.

Sigh.

The baby needed his diaper changed, which Mira took him into the bathroom to do. But he was also a little upset about his surroundings. She could tell. He kept asking for his mother and crying out.

Not wanting to make him feel any worse, she decided not to leave him in the playpen again. He really was all worked up. Instead she took him over to the couch, laying out on it as she laid the baby on her stomach, him snuggling up almost immediately.

"Mama," he moaned miserably. "Mama."

"Shhh." Mirajane only stroked his back gently, shutting her own eyes. "It's okay. Don't you like being here with me, Nathan? Huh? I thought that we were friend."

He took to sniveling then, but Mira only kept speaking softly to him. Eventually she found herself telling him stories. Just the basic bedtime stories that a child hears. Full of dragons and magic and all sorts of other things.

She didn't know what happened first. Her falling asleep or him, but next thing she knew, there was a loud banging at the door, startling both her and the toddler snuggled against her chest.

Before she had time to react, Laxus was in the room, rushing over to the door. When he opened it, he found Bickslow on the other end, drunk and declaring his hatred of the other members of the Thunder Legion.

"I work hard! Hard as Ever and Freed," Bickslow was venting almost immediately. "But what don't they give me? Respect!"

"Respect," his dolls floating around his head crooned.

"And they treat my babies like trash," he yelled. "Trash!"

"Trash," they agreed.

"Bickslow," Laxus growled before reaching out to grab him by the shoulder and pull him in, the babies narrowly missing being shut out as he slammed the door right after.

"I already got the kid yellin'. You think that I need you making a scene to? I have neighbors, you know." He tossed his bodyguard from him then before going to turn on the light in the living room. Nathan was whining them, but Mirajane only sat up, rubbing his back gently, trying to sooth him.

"Mira," Bickslow greeted loudly at the sight of her. "This ain't the guild!"

"Shut the fuck up," Laxus growled at him as Mira only sighed, getting to her feet.

"Nate needs to go back to sleep, Laxus," she reminded as she held the boy in her arms. "So maybe-"

"Take him to my room," he grumbled, not glancing at her. "For now."

"The baby!" Bickslow seemed shocked to see him. "So you are a papa, boss? Me too. Right, babies?"

"Papa," they all agreed, rushing to circle around him. Mira only headed out of the room, knowing the longer she stayed in there, there more riled up Nathan would be.

As she found out, Laxus bed was actually kinda comfy. If he hadn't told her previously though that he didn't just take a bunch of women to bed in there, she probably wouldn't have even sat on it. But he had assured her before that he didn't and, honestly, it made sense. If the letters were any indication, Laxus was (for some reason she didn't quite get) a catch to some women. The last thing he wanted was for his one night stands to know where he lived.

"There you go," Mirajane sighed as she laid Nathan down next to her in the fluffy purple sheets. "You feel better? Huh?"

"Toys," she heard Bickslow yell from the other room. "You got such cool toys, boss."

"Those aren't yours," Laxus growled in return. "So don't touch 'em! Now lay down on the couch."

"But boss-"

"Either that or I kick you and your demented dolls out!"

Mirajane only took to snuggling the toddler, trying to distract him from the yelling. The last thing she wanted was for him to start screaming too.

"Bad," he told her after he calmed down, pointing at the closed bedroom door. "Bad."

"Yeah, Daddy's pretty bad," she agreed. "And Bickslow's not much better. But that's okay. 'cause you're so good. Aren't you? Huh?"

Eventually she got the child to calm down again and fall back to sleep. And, against her better judgment, she dozed off as well once more.

Besides, his bed was comfy.

She wasn't too far gone though to notice when the bedroom door was opened once more. She heard the heavy footsteps of Laxus as he walked across the room and over to the desk, which he immediately sat down at.

"Night, Laxus," she whispered.

She was expecting a grunt back, but after a moment, she got a, "Night," just before she truly fell back asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Parenthood

Chapter 6

"I have to go home."

Laxus about dropped his toast at those words.

"What? No. It's not dead or gone, so why-"

"I have to shower, Laxus," Mirajane told him. "I've been with you all yesterday. I-"

"Shower here."

"I don't have any clothes here."

"Put back on what you're wearing now."

"Ew, gross."

He blinked. Then he frowned. "Don't you only, like, ever wear the same thing?"

"Laxus-"

"What do you want me to say?" He went back to the plate in front of him as Mira stood before the kitchen table, Nathan in her arms. He was still rather sleepy looking though, as it was only, oh, seven in the morning. "You can't leave me with it. It might actually die. And for some reason, I don't think I'll do well in prison."

"I have to-"

"Take it with you," he said with a shrug. "To your house."

"I guess I could, but-"

"I got shit to do today anyways."

"Don't cures in front of-" She stopped herself, frowning then. "Wait, what do you have to do?"

Snort. "You're just he babysitter. What difference does it make to you?"

"Laxus-"

"I'm training."

"With your bodyguards? Because one of them is currently still passed out on your couch."

Grunt. He went back to his toast. "I'll deal with that later."

"Well…then I guess me and Nathan are going."

"Seen not heard, Mira."

Rolling her eyes, she went to go get the little boy ready to go as well as pack his diaper bag before heading out.

At home, she found everything quiet. Even Lisanna had already left for the guild, knowing that Mira usually got there before sunrise. Elf was still in bed though so Mira only went to lay Nathan down in her bed, surrounding him by pillows on the edges so he didn't fall off or something, before going into her adjoining bathroom to catch that shower.

"I'll be right in there," she told him before she walked off. He was already drifting off though, the stuffed dog that he'd seemed to take such a liking to under one arm. "Okay?"

Then she brushed some of his hair out of his face and took one last good look at him before heading off to grab a quick shower.

As a babysitter of one day, she had to say, it was actually rather exhausting. And that was coming from someone that practically had to babysit the entire guildhall. Or at least all the male members.

It felt nice to shower, anyhow, as it turned out. She hadn't realized how tense she had been until the warm water spraying down on her hit her flesh. It felt so nice. Just being around Laxus had made her apprehensive and reserved.

Could she really go back over there again?

After her shower, she found Nathan still sleeping, which was fine. He'd had a very busy past few days. Besides, that gave her a chance to check in with Elfman. Make him breakfast even, which she was just realizing sounded really, really good in that moment.

"Morning, Elf," she greeted some time later as he came walking into the kitchen in only a pair of pants.

Yawning out a, "Morning, sis," he went over to the fridge to get him some orange juice.

"Lisanna's working the guild for me today," she went on. "And I'm taking a job from Laxus to take care of his baby, so-"

"Wait, what?"

"Lisanna's at the guild today."

"Mira-"

"It pays triple what I usually make," she told him. "And extra for when I stay the night."

Elfman about dropped the carton of orange juice. "You stay the night?"

"I did last night, yes. Where did you think I was?"

"In bed," he told her. "I didn't know that you weren't here. Mirajane-"

"He needs a babysitter and I need the cash. Not to mention Lisanna's still bringing in my usual pay with her working, so we'll really have quadruple-"

"Why would you ever want to work with Laxus, Mira?"

"Not with. For. And he's really changed a lot."

He only stared at her. "Yeah, sometimes he's able to pull it together and save the guild, but I don't see that as him being an appropriate bedmate for you."

"Elfman!" She turned from the bacon she was frying to glare at him. "That's not what he is. And that's certainly not what he's paying me for. If it was, I'd charge at least five times as much-"

"Mira-"

"We need to get some stuff fixed around here, Elf. And you have springs shooting out from your mattress," she said. "What do you want me to do? Not make some extra money when the option presents itself to me? I mean, Lisanna only ever goofs off with Natsu and Lucy anymore and you never take jobs because you want to be around Ever as much as possible-"

"I'll take a thousand jobs, Mirajane, if you just don't-"

"I'm not marrying the guy, Elf. I'm just babysitting. For, like, a week. That's it." She gave him a soft smile. "He's finding a family to adopt the baby and then it'll all be over with."

"Yeah, but-"

"It'll be fine, Elf." Then she added, "I'll be fine. Really. This is all just so perfect, really, when you think about it."

"Perfect, huh?"

"Sure. I get to play with a cute little baby and rake in jewels beyond my wildest dreams and Laxus learns a valuable lesson in being a manwhore. It's not as much fun as it sounds."

Elfman only stared at her, not cracking a smile at all. "If he's a douche to you or something, I'll kill him. I really will."

"As nice as that sounds, Elf," she began as she went back to making breakfast, "he's sort of my employer now. Not to mention, I think I can take care of myself. In fact, I know I can."

"Still." The overly muscular man flexed. "If you need me-"

"I know you got my back, Elfman," she giggled. "And trust me, I got yours."

When she went to get Nathan up later, she found that he was still fast asleep. It was still early enough that she figured it was fine for a child and only took to sitting down on the bed next to him, taking a moment out to think.

She could go back to Laxus' apartment. That was probably the best thing to do. But then again, Nathan was as unfamiliar there as he was anywhere, so what difference did it make? And if Laxus wasn't home, why would he care?

Hmmm. Decisions, decisions.

Nathan waking up a little while later at least gave her an immediate command. She took him into the kitchen to heat up what she'd leftover for him from breakfast. He seemed to be in a slightly better mood than he usually was when he first woke up. He only asked for his mother a few times before taking to just eating.

"I'm gonna go meet with Ever," Elfman told her as he came into the kitchen to find her holding the child in her lap as he fed himself from his plate. "Alright?"

"Have fun," Mirajane said simply, glancing back at him. "And can you go to the guild at some point today? Check on Lisanna?"

'Sure thing, sis."

"And tell her if she needs anything, I'll either be here or at Laxus' apartment. And Freed or Bickslow can show her where that is. Same with you, huh?"

"Of course."

"But don't go over to his place unless you really, really need me. You know how grumpy he can get."

In the end, she didn't get back to Laxus house until a few hours later, only to find that he still wasn't around. Neither was Bickslow. Which was great because it gave Nathan a chance to play with all of his toys and Mirajane a chance to, well, snoop.

Not that that was what she thought she was doing. She thought of it as more of a way to…become more accustom. To her workspace, of course. That was important, after all. Right? To be familiar with your surroundings?

Not that there was many things of interest She didn't want to go through his drawers or anything, as she knew there'd be no explaining it if he found her in that sort of position. But she did rifle through some of his open mail on the coffee table as well as open the side table drawers.

Ugh. She was so bored.

She had, however, brought over her guitar with her, which really entertained Nate. More than just her usual singing, in fact. He seemed entranced by the way she was able to make sound with it. He even babbled at her, giggling as she sat in front of him on the ground, reaching out for her frequently.

She wondered briefly if that was how Laxus was as a child. The different moods the baby went through. She thought that maybe she'd get around to asking Master, but pushed it out of her mind just as quickly.

Laxus was the father, fine, but he didn't want it. And the sooner they got it all solved, got Nathan situated with another family, the better. Or if his mother returned. Which ever happened first.

She wasn't supposed to get attached. And she wasn't. It was just… She knew what that was like. When the people that were supposed to care about you didn't. Her mother and father, they'd loved her, fine, but after their deaths, her village should have cared for her. And they did. Until she sacrificed part of herself to take on a demon and save them. She'd never found it in herself to go back there, to show them how wrong they'd be about her. How wrong it was that they did that.

But it still bothered her at times.

Which was silly. Because she had Fairy Tail. She loved Fairy Tail. Every single member. Even the pervy old men (and the pervy young men). She had a family. She had people that, even after seven years, hadn't given up hope on her. That still loved her.

She was fine.

But still…

And she didn't want that for Nathan. She didn't want him to know about how his mother abandoned him and his father first denied him and then ditched him without even given him a chance. That wasn't something she wanted him to think about, something that might keep him up at night, the way her past did her.

"The sooner we find you a family," she sighed at one point as she sat her guitar to the side. "The better. And they'll never ever tell you, huh?"

Who would want to know something like that anyhow?

"Besides," she told him. "Being a Dreyar doesn't appear to be that much fun. They all hate each other. And are rather grouchy. No, you'll be better with just a normal, small family. Maybe…maybe one in a tiny village? Would you like that? Where you could help your dad tend to crops and your mother could sew all your clothes. Doesn't that sound nice?"

No, apparently not, as he went back to playing wit his toys.

"You can take all those with you," she giggled. "I'm sure there's nothing Laxus would ever want with them. After all this, I have a feeling he's never going to have kids. Not for a long time, at least."

When Laxus arrived home, he was drenched in sweat and immediately headed off to grab a shower. By that point, it was getting close to noon and Mira had to choose between giving Nathan his nap or feeding him.

Since Laxus was there, she figured a meal would be the best option and went ahead getting started on that. She took Nathan with her into the kitchen, letting him roll some of his toy cars around on the tile floor in there.

"I'm making lunch," she announced to Laxus when he finished with his shower and came in to investigate. "You hungry?"

Grunt. He only went to stare down at Nathan for a moment or two, the little boy taking to greeting him before going back to his toys.

"How was train-"

"Seen not heard, Mirajane."

She gave him a look over her shoulder. "You know, even though you're paying me, part of this is still a favor. From one mage to another. I'm just trying to be here for you."

"Yeah, well don't."

With that, he went over to the table, pulling something from his pocket while he was at it.

Curiosity got the better of her as she asked, "What's that?"

"Something Gramps gave me. Before he told me to take the kid to Porlyusica."

"What is it?"

"Just…" He shook his head, still looking down at the sheet of paper. "Something Ivan sent him. A letter. Not long after he got kicked out of Fairy Tail. It-"

Then he stopped, suddenly, as if he realized just in that moment who he was talking to, what he was talking about. Then he sent her a glare.

"How about you stop talking to me, Mira, and focus on the food, huh?" he grumbled. "Make things better for the both of us."

"Fine," she said with a shrug. "Just being friendly."

"Thought we just went over that?"

When she finished with his food, she took it over to the table to hand over the plate before going to gather Nathan up.

"He can feed himself," she found herself saying to the clearly uncaring Laxus. "But he can't reach the table. So he has to sit in my lap. Or yours, I guess, if you ever-"

"I won't."

Rolling her eyes, she only sat there, across from him, with his son in her lap as she also tried to eat her own lunch as well.

"He eats a lot," Mira told Laxus randomly. "In case you haven't noticed."

Snort.

"Kinda like you."

He made a face. "I eat because I burn so much off with my constant workouts. He's just gluttonous."

"No, I think he got it from you."

"Hardly."

"I saw his mom, Laxus," she told him. "Thin as a rail. He's got your appetite. One of a…a dragon."

He let out a slow huff. "You know, Mira, if you're only trying to annoy me, you can cut it out. I'm annoyed with you either way. You're always annoying."

"You don't have to be mean, Laxus. It's not going to drive me away. It's just like I told you," she said. "I'm not here for you. I'm here for him. And I'm going to stay here for him. So let's just try to make the most of it, huh?"

"And we could," he grumbled. "If you'd stop-"

"I like to talk, Laxus. If you want him taken care of by someone who doesn't, find someone else."

"For as much as I'm paying you, Mirajane, I bet I could find someone to do it."

"Fine, Laxus! Then do it. But I bet they won't make you food. Or actually try to be nice to him. I-"

"Do not start yelling at me, woman. I-"

"Then don't pick fights with me over nothing, man!"

That was enough to start Nathan on crying as he cuddled back towards Mirajane for protection.

"Great, Mira, you upset it."

"He's not an it!" She took to trying to comfort the boy, rubbing his back and kissing his head. At the sight of this, Laxus' angry demeanor faltered some. She hadn't even gotten him calmed down completely when he spoke.

"I'm going to start asking around tomorrow," he said. "I'll spend the whole day looking. And then we can be done wit this. It can be over."

She didn't even look up at him as she said, "Good, Laxus. Great even. The sooner, the better."

He blinked then before nodding his head. "The sooner, the better."

* * *

><p>They avoided each other for most of the day. Even in that tiny apartment, they managed to stay clear of one another. Laxus just stayed in his room the whole time and Mirajane the living room. Nathan was happier that way, as from that point forth, he seemed a little fearful of Laxus. Mirajane was, after all, the only one that had been there for him the past few days and he clearly trusted her more than he did any of the other strangers around.<p>

Laxus didn't leave his room for dinner and Mirajane didn't go to get him for it. Instead, she only fed herself and Nathan before bathing the little boy and putting him to bed. She sang him to sleep that night. It seemed to work better with her guitar.

She knew better than to go bother Laxus and ask if it was okay if she left for the night. He'd want her there the entire time. She just knew it. And since it was, oh, only _six thirty_ she had some time to kill.

He'd left a book out at some point, on his coffee table, which she picked up and tried reading. But it bored her to no end. She didn't understand why someone like him, an S-Class wizard, would want to read fantasy novels, would want to travel, see Earth Land. Didn't he get enough of it from his job? Why would he want to do it in his free time too?

Laxus didn't come out of his room until late. And by that point, she was practically snoozing on the couch, the book having bored her to near death. No, seriously. Ugh. For someone that could shoot freaking _lightening_ from his hands, you'd think the last thing he'd want to read about were fake, made up drivel about all sorts of mythical creatures.

He must have thought she was really asleep though, as she laid there he only went to turn out the lamp near the couch before going over to the playpen. In the darkness, she peeked open an eye and watched as he went to stand over the little boy, watching him sleep for awhile.

He didn't say anything, didn't make some sort of heartfelt connection with the child he didn't want or anything else overly dramatic (which Mirajane thrived on), but only stood there, staring. Watching. And after a few minutes, he turned to go into the kitchen.

Maybe he didn't hate Nathan as much as she thought. Maybe he just…

What if he was right? And them trying to push him towards taking care of Nathan was wrong? You couldn't force someone to be a good father. You couldn't force someone to be anything.

The soon, the better, she reminded herself as she turned on her side and truly did try to fall to sleep. The sooner, the better.


	7. Chapter 7

Parenthood

Chapter 7

It was some time in the late afternoon, a couple of days if not close to two weeks since Laxus began looking for a home for the little boy. He honestly was. It was just…no one seemed to want a child.

When he would ask, he'd find a few that would, but not a small baby. They wanted someone able to actually work. A child. Not a toddler. And Mirajane told him that she didn't want the baby going to someone like that anyhow, because Nathan wasn't an animal. He was a baby.

"So what do you want me to do?" Laxus growled whenever she'd say that. "If I can't find someone, then what? Huh? Huh?"

"I don't know, Laxus. But we're not just giving him to someone to work like a mule. He needs a mother and father. Or just one or the other. Either way, he needs someone to care for him. Not just use him."

They had that argument almost daily. Quite honestly, Laxus was thinking that she was either, worst case scenario growing attached to the boy or maybe, just maybe, trying to suck him dry of jewels. She was making easy money, after all.

Still though, the days only tacked on. And eventually, Mira became more accustomed to staying over at Laxus' apartment for days at a time. She even had some changes of clothes with her.

She was actually showering when it happened. Laxus was supposed to be watching the kid, but he'd just littered the kitchen floor with toys and left him to fend for himself. Not that he wasn't there. Because he was. But he was over at the table, looking through all his mail.

"Junk, whore, bill, whore, junk, same who- Hey!"

He frowned down at his side then as he felt a little hand shove at his thigh. He saw Nathan standing there of course, looking up at him. In his hand, he held one of those little books Mirajane read to him. She always did before naptime and bedtime now. Either that or sang to him. Sometimes both.

It was getting rather close to the boy's naptime, Laxus observed after glancing at a clock. So maybe he just wanted to be read to.

"Go away," he said. "Mira will read to you when she's finished."

But the little book in his hand only got waved around then as he waited for the man to pick him up and read it to him. Laxus remembered it. Mirajane had gone to speak with Gramps the other day and he'd given her some of Laxus' old things. Children's toys and books. Things like that.

Then, of course, the old man got all emotional and shit. Mira told Laxus all about it. Ugh.

"Don't know why he even gave you this," he grumbled then at his son who only stared up at him, waiting. "We're not keeping you. So you can't keep it! Your new parents can give you shit."

"Ah!" Nate kept reaching up for him and looked about ready to cry over it. Not wanting that, Laxus grunted before reaching down to pick him up. If Mira found out that he let the little brat cry it out, she'd yell at him.

"You stupid brat," he grumbled as the little boy settled into his lap with a giggle. Laxus had never let him sit there before. "I ain't reading your damn story though. So sit here and shut up."

Laxus even took the book from his hands and sat it on the table, out of the reach of the little boy. That was okay though, as he found the other things on the table much more interesting.

"Don't touch that," Laxus complained as his son reached out to grab at the papers sitting there. "Ain't got nothing to do with you." Then he paused and shrugged. "Well, I guess it kinda does."

The little boy looked up at him then, tilting his head back to stare at him. Laxus only scowled back.

"Maybe I can pawn you off on one of these other women," he grumbled before looking over one of the letters. "Tell them they can have my baby. Just in a roundabout way. Bet they'd like that. Some of them."

"Hi," Nathan called up to him before reaching up and patting his cheek. Giggling then, he asked, "Mama?"

"Don't know where she is, kid," he grumbled. "If I did, we wouldn't be here right now."

"Go nigh-nigh?"

"You wanted to nap, you shouldn't have come in here," he told him gruffly. "You're gonna sit here, in my lap, and be quiet."

"Laxus."

He frowned at that, glancing down at the kid. It didn't come out perfectly. It almost sounded like he was trying to say lock ass, really, but he knew what the kid was saying and didn't like it.

"Hey," he grumbled. "Where did you get-"

"Laxus!"

That time, he knew immediately who it was.

"You in here?" Mirajane came into the kitchen. "Hey. You and Nate are-"

"Did you teach the kid to say my name?" he grumbled as she came closer.

"No," she said slowly. "But he's not stupid. I mean, he tries to say my name. I taught him that. Watch." She came over to pick up the boy, taking him into her own arms. He liked that much better and began giggling. "Who am I, Nate? Huh? Who-"

"Mira!"

That wasn't exactly right either. It sounded more like mew-a, but Laxus knew what he meant and frowned.

"Mirajane," he grumbled, glancing at her. "We're not…keeping it. Or at least I'm not."

"I know that, Laxus," she said, making a face at him. "But if I'm spending all day with him, I figured he should know my name. He knows Elf's too. And Ever. And-"

"Me, apparently."

"Well, I guess he picked it up from me saying it so much, yeah."

He only let out a long sigh. "I don't know your game, woman, but-"

"There is no game, Laxus. I'm just doing my job well. I'm a babysitter now, right? And that means that I have to have some sort of connection with him, right?"

Grunt. Then he went back to the bills in front of him. "You'd save me a lot of time, is all I'm saying, Mira, if you just take him."

"I-If what?"

"You like doing this, huh? If you take him and never bother me about him, never tell me anything about him, and never ever tell him that he's my son, he's yours." He shrugged. "Just don't act all woman like about it afterwards."

Her gaze wasn't just dark then; it was demented. Laxus could feel it seeping through her, those demons trapped within.

"As shocking as it is, Laxus, I've been with better men than you and I've crushed every single one." She headed back to the living room, his son in her arms. "So don't be so full of yourself."

Snort. Whatever. He tries to be nice and what does it get him?

* * *

><p>Nathan liked going for walks in the afternoon. And honestly, Mira might not have been staying there any longer, but she did really need to keep the house stocked with groceries. If she sent Elf to the store, any money she gave him would probably end up around Ever's neck in the form of a necklace. And Lisanna would probably blow it on something fun with Natsu and Lucy.<p>

So no, she had to be the one to shop.

Nathan liked that too. And he really liked when she let him get a piece of candy or toy. She didn't get him the latter very often though, as he had so many to begin with, but if he was really good that specific day, she'd usually cave.

That day though, she didn't take him to the market. Instead, much to his amusement, they met Lisanna in the park for lunch.

Natsu and Lucy were with her, much to the displeasure of the Dragon Slayer, but Lucy and Lisanna were happy to see the little boy.

"Glad you guys brought lunch," Mira sighed as they found a picnic table to sit at. "I need to go to the store for Laxus. I have some stuff for dinner, but that's about it."

"It's kinda weird," Lucy remarked as she sat Nathan in her lap. Lisanna was next to her and immediately took to stroking the little boy's head. Natsu and Happy sat next to Mirajane, both glaring over at the child. "You know, how you shop for him? And clean house? And…well… You guys are kinda living together."

"I'm just the baby-"

"Sure, Mira," Lisanna said though she was still staring down at Nathan, who was far more concerned with the little plate of food Lucy had given him. "I bet you guys aren't sleeping together either."

"We're not! Lisanna!"

"Can we not talk about this?" Natsu grumbled. "Or anything about the baby? Please?"

"Can you say Lisanna?" the woman in question asked the little boy who wouldn't even look at her again. "Come on, Nathan. I know you can. Say it. Come on. Say it. Lisanna. Lisanna."

"He said Laxus name yesterday," Mirajane told them all then. "And he threw a fit about it."

"Why?" Lucy asked.

"I don't want to talk about this," Natsu continued.

"Because he thinks that I'm, like, attached or something. That I like the baby. Which I do, but no more than I would any other toddler."

"Mira," Nathan told Lisanna, who was continuing to insist that he say her name. "Mira."

"Ugh," she groaned. "Why does everyone like her better?"

"Uh, right here, Lisanna," Mira said, making a face.

"Seriously, guys," Natsu kept up. "Can we talk about the fish that me and Happy caught today? It was giant! Wasn't it, buddy?"

"Aye, sir!"

"Mmmm, I think we want to talk about Nathan some more," Lucy said, grinning down at the child in her lap. "In fact, Natsu, are you even needed here?"

"Hey!"

"I agree," Lisanna said as she went back to trying to get Nathan to pay some attention to her. "I mean, even a baby that came from Laxus is better than you. Imagine if we could get someone we actually like to have a baby, Lucy."

"Yeah. I mean, Mira, if you ever-"

"Don't be mean to Natsu, guys," she said as he glared over at them. "It's not his fault that he's not as interesting or entertaining as a baby."

"When I runaway and find a new group of friends to hangout with," Natsu warned then, "you're all going to be super jealous."

"Super," Lucy agreed, but she was still making faces down at Nathan.

When they finished eating, Lucy and Lisanna took the toddler to go around in the park some, Happy taking their side on that one, floating around over them. Mirajane, who was left with the Salamander, took to noting his attitude.

"You know," she said slowly, glancing at him. "The girls might be onto something, Natsu."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, they like playing with Nathan. So maybe you would too."

"I dunno. I-"

"And can you imagine how much it would annoy Laxus? I mean, even if he's giving him up, Nathan's still his son. And if he liked you more than him-"

"Hey. There's an idea."

"Uh-huh. Laxus will get super annoyed." She giggled. "Wouldn't that be funny?"

That was enough incentive to get Natsu jumping up and chasing after the others. Mirajane only giggled. She was just built for taking care of others.

When they got home that day, Laxus wasn't around, but that was fine, as Nathan was mostly sleepy after playing all day. So Mirajane sang him to sleep in his playpen before going to collapse on the couch with a sigh.

Taking care of a kid was tough.

"You dead?" was the first thing Laxus asked when he showed up later.

"Obviously not."

Grunt. He shut the front door behind him before coming further into the apartment. She only sat up some, glancing at him.

"You find anyone-"

"If I did, you think I would have come in here like this? I'd have kicked you the hell out and taken the kid there immediately."

"What crawled up your butt?"

When she sat up fully, he came to sit on the couch next to her.

"Look at this."

She took a letter from him when he handed it over, scanning it quickly before glancing back up.

"She-"

"Yeah."

"But-"

"I know."

Mira only frowned, reading over the letter one more time. It was rather long and clearly meant for Laxus' eyes only, but the gist of it was that the woman writing it, Nathan's mother, wasn't coming back and would be out of Fiore in a few days. She had a job in another country that she was going to be taking.

"I guess we don't have to worry about her coming back after we get him settled with another family," Laxus remarked. Mirajane only sat there in shock though.

"How could…" She looked up at him. "How could a mother leave her baby?"

He only blinked before shrugging. "Mine did."

She let out a soft breath then, still only staring at him. "Laxus-"

"It's not that big of a deal. I knew she wasn't coming back. I'm showing you this so that you know the deal."

"I just don't…" Glancing over at the playpen, she said, "How could you care for someone for two years and then leave them? She had to have loved him, huh? At some point?"

"Sometimes love isn't enough."

"But it is, Laxus. How could you be so cruel? How could she? He's just a baby. He needs his someone. The two people that made him. And yet…" She sniffled, tearing up. Rolling his eyes, Laxus got to his feet.

"The world isn't kind, Mirajane," he said simply as he headed into the kitchen. "You know that. You've seen that."

"Still though."

"What do you think we've been doing this whole time? Finding him a new family, right? So why-"

"I just really thought, deep down, that she'd be back. That she'd at least want to check in on him. She raised him, Laxus. She-"

"She fed him, changed him, and taught him to walk and talk. She didn't raise him. His new family will do that."

Getting to her feet then, Mirajane went to stare over the side of the playpen at the sleeping toddler.

"No one wants him, Laxus. Do you know how sad that is? No one in the world wants him right now. At all."

"You get used to it," he told her. "That's life for most everyone."

But Mira couldn't accept that. Somewhere deep down in her, she'd continued throughout the weeks to think that the woman was coming back. In fact, she thought that even if they found him a family, she'd come and take him back from them.

Or maybe, in her most happy of scenarios, they all learned to live together and raise him and even Laxus went and taught him magic.

Of course she knew she was being silly, but she couldn't help it. Why shouldn't you always strive for a perfect ending? Even when it was impossible?

Then, also, part of her was hoping that Laxus would come around and the mother would come back and the two of them would get married and raise him together and be a true family.

Although, honestly, she did find part of herself being hesitant to wish for that. She didn't know why. It would be truly the best thing for Nathan.

But still. Something about it just made her hesitant.

It wasn't like she didn't want Laxus to get married. Or to be happy. Or for Nathan to have both of his parents.

Still though…

Reaching down, she lifted the child into her arms, pressing a kiss to his head as he whined slightly. She was still sniffling herself. As Laxus came out of the kitchen with a beer, he saw this and frowned.

"It happens every day, Mira, to tons of kids. Constantly."

"And that's sad, Laxus, but this one? This one we can change." She glanced over at him. "Don't you like him? Even a little?"

"I warned you, Mira, not to get-"

"I'm not. But-"

"Look, it is what it is. Alright?' He looked off then. "And crying over it isn't going to help anything. What happened to the woman that was in here the first day, insisting that I find him a family? That was-"

"I'm still strong, Laxus," she told him. "I can be sad and angry at the same time."

Nathan was whining then, annoyed that they had woken him up. But it was far past his naptime then and Mirajane only dropped him down gently to the ground. He only took to grabbing onto her dress though as Laxus slowly made his way over to them.

"You're just a babysitter, Mira," he said, reaching out to pat her gently on the cheek, wiping at some of her tears as well. She only stared at him, slightly shocked and slightly curious. "Nothing more, nothing less. Don't forget it."

After he walked off towards his bedroom, she slowly moved to sit down on the ground with Nathan who took to snuggling up against her.

"I won't," she whispered a tad too late as Laxus was already gone. But she spoke anyways. "But that doesn't mean I can't still worry about you. That I can't still look out for you. Because it's the right thing to do, Nathan. And he knows that. He has to."

Nathan only looked up at her before patting her chest. Then he made some odd noises, almost like singing. Mirajane only smiled down at him.

"But you don't care anything about that, huh?" She went to go get her guitar, which was resting up against the side of the couch, before coming back to him. That had to have been what he wanted because the toddler immediately began to smile and clap his hands. "You just want me to play with you, don't you? Or anyone for that matter?"

No. Mira was the best. He really was learning to like her. That and that blonde one too. She smelled nice. And the pink haired guy knew how to shoot these really cool flames from his hands, which mesmerized the little boy. And he had a talking kitty!

Things were really great for him. At the moment at least. They could get worse at any moment. But he didn't know that. And even if he did, Mira had a feeling he wouldn't care. He was just happy to have Mira there to sing for him and all his toys to listen along. Not to mention when the big mean guy, Laxus, was in a good mood and Mira was off showering or something, sometimes he'd give him these really weird grins. They were actually scowls, but he never rightly got that.

Life was great. He still missed Mama, but not so much. Mostly just at night, when she used to snuggle him. But Mira was there for that now.

So really, what was there to complain about?

"You're so smart," Mirajane giggled down at him as he tried hard to mimic her singing though he really was just making sounds in the same rhythm as her. It was super cute though. "Nathan."

Nothing. There was nothing to complain about. At all.


	8. Chapter 8

Parenthood

Chapter 8

"You wanna what?"

Mirajane only stared at Laxus. "I want to throw him a birthday party."

"That's what I thought you said," he grumbled as he went back to eating his breakfast. Across from him sat Nathan and Mirajane, the little boy happily gobbling down his food as she only held him in her lap, staring over at his father. "Mirajane-"

"It's his birthday, Laxus," she insisted. "Remember when she first dropped him off? She told me that he was turning two in a month. Well, it's been a month now. His birthday might have even already passed. Isn't that so sad?"

"No."

"I remember when Elf, Lisanna, and I were young, we used to celebrate our birthdays every year," she said with a slight smile. "Of course, we didn't have a lot of money, but my parents would always manage to make us a cake and would let whoever's birthday it was sleep in late and not do any chores. It was-"

"His birthday was yesterday."

That stopped her. Staring over at him, she watched as he took a sip from his glass before saying, "How are you so sure?"

"When she sent me that letter, she sent his birth certificate. I guess so I could give it to his new-"

"Laxus!"

"What?" He gave her a look. "What's wrong now?"

"You knew that it was his birthday and you didn't say anything?"

He groaned. "Mira, we're only watching the kid. We're not-"

"Happy birthday, Nathan," she said, glancing down at him then. He only held up his hand, feeding her a piece of bacon.

"Mira-"

"Today is your birthday, Nathan," she told him. "Well, yesterday, but today's gonna be your party. So I'm going to make you a cake and buy you toys-"

"I already bought him toys."

"That was your bad judgment call."

"Mira-"

"So what sorts of things do you want, Nathan? Huh?" Mirajane snuggled him close, but the boy only fought her.

"No. Eat. Mira!"

She only giggled though as Laxus rolled his eyes.

"I'm not paying for a cake,' he finally told her.

"I know. I'm making one."

"You're making a cake. Today."

"Mmmhmm. I'll just go out and buy the things I need. I don't know if you know this or not, Laxus, but I'm quite the cook. And baker."

He blinked. "I knew that, Mira, yes."

"I'll make him a big dinner too! And invite Lisanna over and Lucy and-"

"Not to my apartment."

She glanced up at him before shrugging. "Then we'll go to my house. Or, ooh, the guildhall. Then everyone-"

"No."

"Laxus-"

"It's my son and if I say no-"

"You don't even want him," Mirajane told him with a frown.

"Neither do you."

"I want him to be happy. I want him to be with people that care about him. So yes, Laxus, I do want him. Things for him."

Grunt. Then he stood from the table, taking his empty plate over to the sink. Not facing her, he said, "I have to go to the market anyways. So if you're wanting me to buy something, you better get a list-"

"We'll go with you." She got to her feet as well, which was fine with Nathan, as he was done eating anyhow. He only took to snuggling close to Mirajane with a yawn. "To the market."

"But-"

"Just let me go get him dressed." She was already heading off and didn't hear him. "Just a minute, Laxus."

He only sighed, staring down at the sink.

All the women in the guild and he chose her?

Maybe he shouldn't have thought female. Freed and Bickslow would have probably taken care of the baby and found a home for him before that first night was up. That's what he got for being gender conscious.

Nathan walked with his hand clutching Mirajane's down to the market. It slowed them down, which he hated, but Mira was insistent.

"If he wants to walk, we have to let him, Laxus. He's a big boy."

Ugh. He sang the whole way too, at noisome, which Mirajane loved. She seemed to just like everything about the kid.

He wished she'd just go ahead and take him off his hands so they could get it all over with.

Nathan was pretty well behaved on their trip to the market. Laxus disappeared at one point, not telling Mira was he was going to do, but she didn't delude herself that it had anything to do with Nathan. When he returned some time later with money, she assumed that he'd just gotten the benefits of some sort of bet he'd won or something.

"Close," he said when she told him that. "Someone owed me some money from poker a couple weeks ago."

"So now you have money to buy Nathan a gift."

"Mira-"

"You do."

He only took to make a face at her. "I'll pay off someone to take him, maybe, but-"

"Behave."

That word alone brought a glare up. "Look, woman, he's the kid, got it? Not me."

"Just behave."

Grumbling then, he wouldn't rightly look at her anymore. Mirajane only giggled though and went back to shopping.

Her hands were full of groceries when they were finished, meaning that Nathan had to hold onto her dress on the way back. .He was so tired then though that he wanted her to carry him and took to whining.

"Laxus-"

"No."

"Please?" Mirajane glanced at him. "I'll let you lick the batter when we get home if you do."

"How old do you think I am, woman?"

"Please?"

Groaning, he reached down to snatch up his son, who only took to giggling and reaching for Mirajane.

"You're stuck with me, brat," he grumbled as Mirajane only smiled over at them. "So don't get too happy."

They were walking along that way too, pretty fine. Nathan settled into Laxus arms and, after being reprimanded for it, didn't sing or anything. Just rested there, glad to not have to walk anymore.

And then he heard the last thing in the world he wanted to.

"Laxus?"

"Oh no," he groaned as Mirajane stopped and glanced behind them. "Mira, keep walking. Please, just-"

"Laxus Dreyar?"

Mira glanced at him raising her eyebrows. "She's cute."

"Shut up," he grumbled as he turned then to face the woman.

"No, really. A solid ten."

"I hate you."

She only giggled.

"Who the hell is this?"

Those giggles died away as the woman, a busty little blonde, came to stand in front of them. Even Nathan didn't greet her as he turned to bury his head in Laxus' neck at the sound of the woman's tone.

"This is Mira," Laxus said, nodding at her. "And Mira, this is-"

"Oh, so what? You don't talk to me anymore and then think that you can go out and get some other whore-"

"Knock it off," he told the woman as Mira only glanced at her. "She's only-"

"And since when do you have a kid?"

"Since when is it your business?" He bucked up then and actually, to Mira's surprise, held Nathan to him. "Look, I don't report to you. If you thought that we were more than we were, that's your problem."

"You-"

"And unless you feel like sucking my cock on command, I'm not that interested in talking to you right now. So fuck off."

"Laxus." Mirajane stared at him with as much shock as the other woman. He only bounced the whining child in his arms before turning to head off. She smiled at the woman who only glared back before turning to run after him.

"What was that?" Mira asked him as he set a quick pace. "Wait up."

"Why should I?"

"You were just really rude to-"

"She was rude to me."

"How do you even pick up women with an attitude like that?"

"Fuck off, Mira."

"Laxus," she groaned, trailing behind him. Nathan took to lifting his head and staring at her over his father's shoulder, waving randomly. Mirajane only shook Laxus off before smiling at the toddler, who giggled in response.

When they got back to the apartment, Laxus only dropped Nathan in his playpen before stomping off the kitchen to get a beer.

Mirajane was quick to follow, going to set the bags of groceries down on the countertop.

"You okay?"

Snort. Laxus only popped the tab on his beer before glancing over at her.

"She'll be begging for me back in twenty minutes. In fact, tonight, I'll go fuck her just to prove a point."

"You being vulgar doesn't hide the fact that you were embarrassed. Flustered."

"I don't get embarrassed, demon."

"Ooh, nicknames. What was her nickname?"

Groaning, he headed out of the kitchen. "Just shut the hell up."

"She was real upset, Laxus. Maybe-"

"Yeah and if I brought you to a motel room with me and her, she'd be down with it, so that was all for show."

"Awe, I'm honored that you want to sleep with me, Laxus, but keep it in your pants, huh?"

His bedroom door slammed not soon after, though it didn't drown out her giggles.

"Your daddy's silly," she told Nathan as she went to rescue him from his playpen. "You know that?"

"Laxus. Rawr."

"He does throw little fits, doesn't he?" She carried him into the kitchen before dropping him on the floor. "I gotta make your cake now, baby. Can you sit here and behave? Be big boy?"

"Rawr."

"Rawr," she roared back, making him giggle and run off to hide under the table. "Rawr."

She was busy on the cake when Laxus showed back up, that time to get another beer. Nathan roared at him, but he only frowned and kept walking over to the fridge.

"You about ready to lick the batter, Laxus?"

"Shut up, Mira."

"Demon, remember?"

"You're really pushing it today, alright?" he grumbled. "I let you have a stupid party, I'm letting you invite people over-"

"You are?" She glanced at him. "Oh, Laxus, that's great. I-"

"But I ain't stayin'. And the damn Salamander isn't allowed."

"Laxus-"

"No." He took a sip of his new beer. "And I want them all gone when I get back home. And if any of my stuff gets touched-"

"I'll only invite a few people. Promise."

Snort. He headed out then, right back out of the room. "Have your damn party, Mirajane. I'll be home late."

"Gonna go see Ms. Potty Mouth from before?"

He didn't say. Only walked off back to his bedroom. She thought that he was out of hearing distance when she spoke then to Nathan, but he wasn't.

"Maybe he's not that bad," Mirajane told Nathan who only roared at her. "Still very, very, silly, but not too bad."

It was the alcohol, he decided as he went to go lay down for a bit, that made him smile. Had to be.

Didn't it?

* * *

><p>"Remember, Natsu," Lucy said as they walked into Laxus' apartment building. "You're not even supposed to be here. So don't leave any scorch marks on anything or make a scene. Mira's risking Laxus killing her to let you come."<p>

"Me and Hap have to go, Luce," he said as he carried a wrapped present in his arm. He even spent his own money on it!

Err, the money Lucy gave him to buy it, that is. Same thing though.

"Yeah," Happy agreed. "Nathan's tons of fun."

"Really," she said slowly. "Come from the two people that hated him before, this is quite shocking."

"Hate is a very strong word, Luce."

"And I'm using it correctly, Natsu."

"We hate the way you girls are with him," he correct it. "But he's a-okay. Huh, Happy?"

"Aye, sir."

Inside the apartment, Natsu apparently forgot all warnings that Lucy gave him. What was Laxus expecting though? He invited Fairy Tail over. Something was going to get broke.

"I don't think he ever really liked that lamp anyhow," Mirajane said slowly with evident unease as Lucy apologize profusely for Natsu knocking it over.

"He'll probably be able to smell that he was here anyhow," Elfman remarked as he let Nathan ride around up on his shoulders. He liked being up so high. Evergreen, who was standing next to him, only frowned.

"Don't drop it," she told him. "They're such much nastier when they cry. Or bleed for that matter."

"What are you doing here anyhow, Ever?" Lisanna asked her. "I thought you'd be with Laxus. Isn't he with the Thunder God Tribe?"

"No," she said slowly. "Bickslow's training and Freed…I don't know where he is, but if he was with Laxus, I'm sure he'd have been bragging about it at some point today."

"Laxus ran into a, uh, friend today," Mirajane told them as she cleaned up the lamp. Natsu was over in the corner, being lecture by Lucy, though over her shoulder, he was making faces at Nathan, who only giggled in response.

"Careful, kid," Elfman warned. "Ever's right. You fall, you might get hurt."

"Then maybe we take him off your shoulder, huh, guys?" Mira sighed, coming over to the little boy. He liked Mira and everything, she was his favorite person, but with all those guests around, he did not want her holding him. She only passed him off to Levy, which made Gajeel frown even more.

"When you said party, I didn't know you meant a birthday party for the stupid kid," he grumbled. "Me and Lily were going to train today."

Lily only stood there, on the armrest of the couch, looking approvingly at Levy. "Parties are much fun. I think it was a wonderful suggestion."

"See, Gajeel? Lily likes the baby."

Grunt. "Just keep him away from me. He always pulls my hair."

"Maybe he hates it too," Levy mumbled.

"What'd you say, shrimp?"

"Nothing."

Mira spent most of the party trying to keep everything in order. She was really regretting not having the party at her own house, honestly. Maybe that was why Laxus let her have it there, as he knew she'd screw something up and it'd give him a chance to yell at her. He seemed to like that rather much.

"The hell is he doing here?" Mirajane heard at one point as she was in the kitchen, about to take the cake out into the living room. "Demon?"

Lisanna, who was with her, raised an eyebrow, but Mira only shot her a look.

"What do you call him?" she taunted as they all heard the sound of Lucy, Natsu, and Happy calling out goodbyes before running off. "Dragon? Or ooh, Mr. Dreyar? Is it that kinky, since he's your boss?"

"I liked you a lot better innocent, Lisanna," Mira grumbled as Laxus came into the room. He looked a lot less pissed that she was expecting. "L-Laxus, I can explain. See, Natsu just-"

"That the cake?" He went to get a beer. "Cut me some."

"I really did plan on everyone being gone, Laxus, but you got back so much earlier-"

"I want a corner piece," he told her before taking his beer and heading off. "Bring it to me in my room."

"What's up with him?" Levy asked as he walked through the living room, even patting Nathan on the head on the way.

"Got laid," Elfman announced to them all after they heard his bedroom door close. Ever hit him. "Hey-"

"Don't be nasty."

"That's nasty? All the things that get said constantly and that qualifies for you to hit me? I mean-"

She did it again. "Don't argue with me."

Mirajane only frowned in the kitchen, glancing at her sister. "He is in an oddly good mood."

"You said he went out tonight, huh?" Lisanna giggled. "With an friend? Was she a woman?"

"Yeah," Mira mumbled. "She was."

Noting her sister's tone, Lisanna asked, "What's wrong? You didn't-"

"Nothing." Just like that, Mirajane was grinning again. "I was just thinking, that's all. Come on. Let's take this cake out there. Too bad Natsu couldn't stay for it."

"Too bad for him," Lisanna remarked. "But good for the rest of us."

When Mirajane brought Laxus his cake some time later, she found him laying in bed, reading one of his books while listening to music. He laid the novel down on his bare chest though at the sight of her.

"It hot or something?" she asked, taking in that he was only wearing jeans.

"Just getting comfortable." He took the plate when she handed it to him. "Thanks."

She only bowed her head. "We'll try to keep it down out there."

He tapped one of his headphones. "Got it covered. Do whatever you want."

"Right. Thanks." She grinned at him then and he only went to eating his cake, sitting up some more. Heading to the door then, she found it hard to go out it, just standing there, hand rested on the knob, not moving. After a moment, Laxus called out to her.

"Something wrong, Mirajane?"

"N-No, I was just… You win at poker again or something tonight?"

"Went on a date. Err, I met with a woman. That's all."

"Oh."

"Why?" Then his snarl came back into his tone. "You weren't expecting to be paid extra, were you? For planning a party? Because you're the one that wanted this, not me. So-"

"It's not that. Just curious." She tried to giggle some. "You know me. I always, uh, am just snooping."

"Damn straight you are. Annoying demon."

She left him with that, going back out there. Nathan got antsy if she left him alone too long after all.

And besides, it wasn't like she didn't think Laxus would be…that he… So why did it matter?

It didn't. It didn't matter. At all. Because she was only babysitting for him. Really, she was more of a nuisance. Right?

Besides, she found it easy to distract herself with Nathan, who was still overjoyed at all the attention he was getting. In the month or so that he'd been staying with them, he'd really grown accustomed to everybody. Especially the Exceeds. Happy was his favorite, but Lily was just as good.

"I am only glad that your father is not in a bad mood," he told the little boy as he pushed toy cars around with him on the kitchen floor. "He can make this horrible lightening and thunder appear out of nowhere." The cat shivered. "It's truly retched."

"Aw, Lily," Levy giggled as she came in there to get a drink. "Too bad they're going to get rid of him, huh? Babies are so much fun."

"No they're not," Gajeel grumbled to her, following. "So don't get any ideas."

Rolling her eyes, she said, "Don't get ahead of yourself anyhow, iron breath."

"Does my beloved want a child?" Juvia, who'd arrived late with a reluctant Gray in tow, asked. He about choked on his beer.

"I assure you, woman, I don't," he grumbled as she jumped on him. "Juvia!"

When everyone finally cleared out, Mira was left with only her younger sister and an overly tired Nathan.

"It's way passed your bedtime," Lisanna giggled as she went to put him in his playpen to sleep. "You ready for bed?"

"Oh, Lisanna, you have to turn out the lights first," Mirajane said, going to get the overhead one. "Which is admittedly easier now that Natsu was over."

"Have fun explaining that one to Laxus."

"Apparently all I have to do is get him in bed with some woman and then spring it on him."

"He's much more agreeable after or so it seems," Lisanna agreed.

"Most men are," she told her with an eye roll as she went to get her guitar to lull the baby to sleep.

It wasn't until her sister was gone and Nathan was in bed that Mirajane went to take a shower. She was just coming out of the bathroom once she was finished when she ran into Laxus.

"Not used to having to share my bathroom," he told her simply as they passed one another.

"Try a week at my house," she sighed.

He only frowned, glancing at her. "You okay, demon? I thought you'd be all, I dunno, _you_. I mean, don't you usually live for these parties and stuff?"

"I'm happy. Just…tired."

"Then get some sleep," he grumbled. "I'm leaving on a job tomorrow and you'll have to watch the kid all alone."

"What else is new?"

"Ha ha."

Maybe it'd be a good thing, she decided as she went to lay down on the couch. Getting away from Laxus would at least give her some space. And she could take Nathan with her back home, stay in her own room, in her own bed for awhile.

"And maybe," she added with the hint of disappointment, "he'll find someone out on his job to take you, Nathan."

Then she smiled, there in the darkness, planning on going to sleep.

"Hey, Mirajane?" she heard not ten minutes later as Laxus came into the room, headed to the kitchen. Something made him stop short though.

"Hmmm?"

"Where's my lamp? Did you move it or something? Was it in the way?"

She only sighed, sitting right back up. "Or something."


	9. Chapter 9

Parenthood

Chapter 9

"-get us a room," Laxus was saying as he walked down the road with two women he'd just picked up at the bar, an arm strewn around both. "Alright?"

"How come we never get to go home with you?" the redhead whined as she leaned against him.

Laxus was in full charm mode at that point and only turned his head towards hers, nuzzling it slightly.

"You don't wanna go to my place," he told her as the other took to staring up at his as well. "I- Mirajane?"

He came to a stop there on the mostly empty sidewalk as he saw someone on the other side of the street. The women looked over as well as Laxus dropped his arms from around them. Sure enough, there was, Nathan snuggled up in one arm and a bag of groceries in the other.

Leaving the women behind, he headed over there before she came to him.

"Hey, Laxus," she greeted as he moved to take the sack of groceries from her. "I didn't know that you were back in town."

"Got in this afternoon," he mumbled. "I was gonna check in with you soon, but-"

"I think your dates are getting jealous," Mira said simply as she shifted Nathan in her arms.

Laxus didn't even glance over there to see what she was talking about. "It's late. What are you-"

"It stormed all day and I didn't want to take him out in that. The storm only broke about an hour ago and I needed to get food and stuff." She held her arm out, waiting for her to give him the bag back. "Now-"

"I'll walk you home. I-"

"With your women tagging along? No thanks." She reached out to take the sack then. "I'm not going home anyways. Not to your home. Nate's been staying at my place since you've been gone."

"Oh."

"Mmmhmm. So… See you tomorrow? We'll be at my place if you want us." She smiled at him. "Say bye-bye, Nathan."

"Bye-bye," he yawned as he only snuggled closer to her.

Laxus felt funny as he headed back over to the two women he'd left over on the other side of the street. One, the dark headed one, was glaring at him, as if jealous, but the redhead was only staring at him in shock.

"Who was that?" she asked. "Laxus?"

Grunt. He didn't put his arm around them again. The moment was over. He just wanted to get down to it at that point.

"Come on," he grumbled, not looking at either of them. "And no more stupid questions."

He got a good use out of that room, but then, he always did. If he was paying for it, he was going to put it to good use.

"Where are you going?" one of the women asked him some time later when he left them there, on the bed, before getting up. "You're not staying tonight, Laxus?"

"I got shit to do," he grunted. "Room's paid off. Stay for all I care."

Once that was all done with, he forwent heading home, instead for another destination.

"Laxus?"

"Where's my kid?" he grumbled as he pushed Lisanna to the side before coming into the house.

"Sleeping," she said, making a face. "You know, you don't live here. If I tell Elf that you pushed me-"

"Your sister around?"

"In the-"

"Laxus?"

He frowned as Mirajane came out of doorways. Glancing in there, he found it to be the kitchen.

"Hey," he grumbled, coming closer. "I know it's late, but-"

"Nathan's asleep," she said, frowning as he came closer. "You-"

"Want me to wake up Elf, Mira?" Lisanna asked, scowling over at Laxus. She only grinned at her younger sister.

"No. Go to bed, Lisanna," she said. "You have the morning shift at the guild tomorrow, remember?"

Laxus got a cold stare from the youngest Strauss sibling as she headed out of the room, down the hallway that he assumed led to the bedrooms.

"Did you need something?" Mira asked Laxus as it was just them then in the dimly lit living room. "I was about to head off to bed. Honestly, I'm a little shocked that you even know where I live."

"Of course I do," he grumbled. "You've lived here for years, Mira."

"Yeah, but-" Then she stopped herself. "Why are you here? Did… Did you find someone to take Nate?"

"What? No." He shook his head, his hands finding their way into his pockets. Honestly, he didn't have a true reason for being there. He was just…he'd…

His hand brushed his wallet, which he immediately pulled out.

"I wanted to pay you," he said quickly. "For the week. I just got back from my job, so-"

"And you couldn't have tomorrow?" She wasn't going to make it easy for him. "Honesty, Laxus, it's late. And I just saw you, what? Four hours ago?"

"Yeah, but-"

"I mean, I know that you just slept with those women and probably got, what, a three hour and thirty minute nap in-"

"Mira," he warned.

"-but do you really have to bother me now? You couldn't have just stayed with them or go find some more to toy around with?" She gave him a look. "If you wanna pay me, go ahead. But I'm tired. You-"

Crying stopped them both from talking. With a frown, Mirajane headed out of the room.

"I'll be back, Laxus. He gets upset if he wakes up and no one's there," she sighed. "Just…sit on the couch. It'll only take a minute."

He glanced around, thinking about following her, but he never did like crying. Then he glanced over at the front door and thought about going right back out that, but still, that would only make things more awkward. So, slowly, he went to take a seat on the couch, per her suggestion.

"Hey. You."

He blinked. Then he glanced at the hall to see the big form of Elfman coming out.

"What are you doing here?" the muscular man grumbled. "Something wrong with Ever?"

"No," Laxus said, frowning. "Why would I come here if something was wrong with her?"

Elfman was into the room then, out of the shadows, and only blinked. Then he narrowed his eyes.

"Then why are you here?"

"Don't see it as any of your business," he grumbled. "So scram. I got business with the man of the house."

"I am the man of the house!"

"Please. You don't even pay the bills."

"You-"

"I mean, you might be the boy of the house-"

"I'm a man!"

"Hardly. You still live with your big sister. You're-"

"I'm more a man than you. I-"

"Elf, he's just riling you up," Laxus heard then as Mirajane walked out the hall as well, Nathan in her arms. "Which isn't nice, Laxus."

He only grunted as she came closer. "I just want to pay you and get out of here."

"I don't know why you came to begin with," she said. "Did you want me to go back with you or something? I didn't see it as a big deal where Nathan slept and spent his time. Without you in the apartment, I felt awkward being there, so I came home. I'm sorry."

He only got to his feet quickly. "I don't want you to come back with me. I only wanted to do like I said. Pay you."

"Well, do it, please, so I can go to bed." She bounced Nathan in her arms. When she saw that Laxus' gaze was elsewhere, she glanced over at her brother and made a face.

"Goodnight, Elf."

"But-"

"I'm talking business," she told him with a giggle. "Sorry we woke you."

He only narrowed his eyes at Laxus before turning to head back out of the room. Once he was gone, Mira addressed the man before her once more.

"Pay up, Dreyar."

He waited until Elfman was gone before taking a step closer to her. "How much do I owe you again?"

She noticed that he took his time too, when he was counting out the jewels a moment later, laying the bills in her waiting palm. Then he took to looking off.

"So you like keeping him over here better than you do my place?"

"It was just easier," she told him. "Now that you're back from your job, I'll take him back to your apartment tomorrow."

"Whatever." Turning to walk off then, he said, "I'll be asleep most tomorrow. So don't wake me up when you come in, demon."

She only giggled though. "Bye, Laxus."

After he was gone, she went to lock the door and turn out all the lights before carrying Nathan back to her bedroom.

"What did he want? Was it about before? When you said you saw him out with those women? Or what?"

"I said go to bed, Lisanna," Mira sighed as she came into her room. "Not wait up for me."

"Well? What did he want?" she asked, standing there in the darkness. "Did he-"

"Just to pay me," her older sister told her as she went to drop the sleeping boy in her arms on the bed, his stuffed animals still strewn around it. "That's all."

"Right. Pay you."

"Lisanna-"

"What did he say though, Mirajane? I mean-"

"I don't know, Lisanna. I thought it was weird too, alright?" She gave her sister a look. "But I assure you, whatever it was, it had nothing to do with me seeing him out with his dates."

"Dates. Yeah right." Lisanna looked up then, as if thinking. "Maybe he thought you were jealous? And came to smooth things over? I mean-"

"Jealous?" Mirajane was about done with her, honestly. "Why would I be jealous, Lisanna? And of what?"

"You know, it's like Lucy said that day," Lisanna went on. "You guys are kinda living together. Just not sleeping together. I mean, Mira, it can't be that hard to find someone to keep a child. He just wants you around and thought you seeing him in his element with those chicks would ruin everything. He-"

"Go to bed, Lisanna," she said as she went to lay down in her own bed. "And close the door on the way out."

"Mirajane-"

"Go." She huffed slightly. "Laxus is trying everything he can to get rid of Nathan and I'm only being helpful."

"It's been over a month, Mira. You-"

"Laxus isn't interested in me. And I'm not interested in him."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes."

"Then… Why don't you go out on a date, huh?"

"What?"

Lisanna only stood there, over her, arms crossed over her chest. "If you went out on a date with someone, then that would prove that you're not interested in him."

"No, Lisanna. I'm not… I don't want to date. I-"

"Because I know a few guys that-"

"Did you not hear me say no?" She shifted to face Nathan on the bed, giving her sister her back. "I wasn't dating before all of this anyways and I don't feel like starting again. It's a waste of time. Time that I don't have. So-"

"Or," Lisanna said slowly, "you just don't want Laxus to know that you're off the market."

"Lisanna-"

"What about the guy that you broke up with? You could give him another go."

"Did you ever think that I broke up with him for a reason? I mean come, Lisanna. Now you're just trying to-"

"I just want you to admit that you like being a part of Laxus harem."

"You are going to get it if you don't stop."

"You're kinda like the wife that just turns a blind eye to-"

"That's it." Mira pushed out of bed then, literally taking to shoving her little sister out of her room, much to the girl's protests. Elfman stuck his head out of his bedroom, staring at them in shock.

"Something going on?" he asked.

"Lisanna's going to bed and so are you. So stay out of my room. Both of you." She closed her door behind her. "Goodnight."

"What'd you do?" Elfman asked as Lisanna only stuck her tongue out at the closed door.

"I was just messing with you," she yelled at her sister from out in the hall. "Unless…do you really like him, Mira? Is that why you're-"

"Go to bed!"

Lisanna took to snickering as Elfman only closed his bedroom door. He did not want to get dragged down with Lisanna. No way. Being punished by Mirajane was one off the worst things in the world. Even worse than breaking a date with Ever.

* * *

><p>A few days later had Mirajane right back into her old routine of spending all day at Laxus' apartment, taking care of his son, as he occasionally helped out, but mostly just moped around.<p>

Until one day, as Laxus napped on the couch and she played her guitar softly for Nathan, there was a knock at the door.

Not even expecting Laxus to get up, Mirajane got to her feet before heading over to open it.

"Master," she greeted, excited to see him. "What-"

"Hello, Mirajane," he greeted. "I've come to see-"

"Fuck off, Gramps," they heard his grandson grumbled from his spot on the couch. "I'm sleepin'."

"And I don't care, Laxus."

Mira stepped aside, letting Makarov into the apartment, before closing the door behind him. "He was napping, Master."

"Hi," Nathan greeted before looking over at Mira and giggling. She smiled back at him, heading over to resume playing her guitar.

"I've come to see both of you, really," Makarov sighed as he took a look around. "I have found that though Kinana and Lisanna are both more than adequate, Mirajane, that having you at the bar is much more helpful. And-"

"She works for me," Laxus grumbled as he laid there, not even opening his eyes. "You can't come in here and poach her. You basically gave her to me."

"I did not. I-"

'You sent her home with me that day. What did you think? Huh?" Then he sneered, peeking and eye open. "She's mine now. So run along, Gramps."

"Behave," Mira told him to which Laxus only grunted and shut his eyes once more.

"Master," she said to Makarov who'd gone over to Nathan to look down at him. "I have to take care of Nathan. I'm sorry. I'll be back to work the second that Laxus finds a family-"

"Is this finding a family? Laying around and doing nothing?" Makarov shook his head at his grandson, but Laxus still didn't arise. "You are not doing the child justice, either of you, by having him grow accustom to you just so you can throw him away in the near future."

"What would you rather us do?" Mirajane asked. "We can't-"

"I would rather Laxus keep him."

Snort. "Yeah, right, Gramps. Like that's going to happen."

"It's happening right now," he argued. "And I can't not have Mirajane at the bar, Laxus, because you two want to play house. Whatever you wish to do on your free time is between the two of you, but-"

"Ew." Mira got to her feet once more as Laxus opened his eyes to glare at his grandfather. "Does everyone think that we're… Ew!"

"Don't act too disgusted, demon," Laxus grumbled as he sat up. "I'm way more of a catch than you anyhow."

"My point is," Makarov went on, "that the two of you are going to have to get another situation figured out. Lisanna's dropped five pitches and broken them just this week, Mira. And neither her nor Kinana get there before sunrise-"

"That's because they're not supposed to, Master," she sighed, bowing her head slightly though she was still a little upset about the whole playing house insinuation. "I just do so that I can clean up some around the place."

"That's why I need you, Mira. So please-"

"I'd have to bring Nathan," she said with a slight shrug. The little boy looked up at his name. "It's the only way. And only if it's okay with Laxus."

Grunt. He laid down again. "Like I want you here anyhow."

Makarov nodded then. "I'm fine with him being up there, I suppose. But only if you keep an eye on him."

"Of course."

"Then you can come in tonight?" he asked, hopeful. Mirajane hesitated, glancing at Laxus.

"Well, I still have to make dinner and the bathroom really needs to be-"

"But tell me again that the two of you aren't doing this for the fun of it," Makarov remarked before heading to the door. "Tomorrow then. Bright and early, yes?"

After the master left, Mirajane tried hard to get back into playing with Nathan, but it was tough. She kept glancing over at Laxus, who seemed oblivious to her stare. Or at least she though that he was.

"What?" the man growled eventually.

"Huh?"

"You keep looking at me," he told her. "Stop looking at me."

"I'm not looking at you."

"You are too."

"How do you know? Your eyes are shut."

"Which you wouldn't know unless you kept looking at me."

She let out a soft sigh as Nathan waited for her to get back to her guitar. Glancing fully over at Laxus, she said, "It's just… I think people think that we're acting inappropriately with one another."

"Inappropriately," he repeated slowly. "Like what?"

"Like…" She blushed. "Lisanna accused me of being a part of your…circle of women."

He opened his eyes for that one. Then he thought about it and shrugged, shifting onto his side so he was facing the back of the couch. "Do you wanna be?"

"W-What?"

"Do you?"

"No!"

"Then why do you care?"

"I-" She stopped herself. "Do you want me to be?"

"Do I want to get sex out of this? Mira, I want sex out of everything."

She was blushing so deeply then, but he didn't turn around to see it. He didn't need to.

"L-Laxus-"

"I'm not coming onto you or anything," he told her just as quickly. "I'm just saying."

"Well stop saying," she told him. "I don't…want to sleep with you."

"That's fine."

"No, Laxus, you don't get it," she said. "People think that we are."

"More the reason to go ahead and do it."

"Laxus-"

"What do you want me to say? Huh? If we start going into the guildhall yelling about how we're not, they'll all think that we're just trying to cover. So why even bother with it?" He yawned slightly. "Now be quiet. I'm going back to sleep."

"But-"

"Do you want to still work for me, Mirajane?" He paused. "'cause I can get someone else, if this is a problem."

"I just… I want this to all be resolved. Soon. Please."

"No problem," he said. "I'm working on it."

"Good."

They didn't speak to one another for awhile after that. It was during dinner, in fact, that they found themselves in an awkward silence as they sat across from one another at his tiny table, Nathan more than happy in his spot in Mirajane's lap. The two of them, however, weren't too thrilled.

"Your sister really asked you that?" he finally asked after sitting there in silence for awhile.

"Huh?"

"If we were…"

Mira let out a slow breath. "She said that I was part of your harem. That I just looked the other way when you-"

He choked on his food at that. "H-Harem?"

"That's basically what you have, yeah."

Reaching out to get his water glass, he said, "No, I don't. That makes it sound…sick. I just have some women that I know that like to sleep with me. Why is that a bad thing?"

"I'm not judging you," she said with a shrug. "I'm just making it very known that I am not a part of that."

"And I didn't say that you were. I-"

"But other people see it that way, Laxus. And I'm not… I don't sleep around." Then she blushed. "Or do any of those weird things that you do."

"What weird-"

"You know. Being with two girls at once. That's… I don't do that."

"I…" He was getting rather bothered by the conversation and really wished that he hadn't brought it up again. "Let's just forget it, alright?"

She shrugged slightly. "You're the one that-"

"I know."

"And then you basically told me that I could-"

"I was kidding," he grumbled.

"Oh, I know."

"What do you mean you know?"

Another shrug. "Just that…you know. All those girls are like…"

"Like what?"

'Laxus."

"What?"

"Just…"

Then he was finally able to look her in the eyes. "You're just as hot as any of 'em, demon."

"Stop it."

"No. You are. So just…" He shook his head, pushing away from the table. "I…"

Instead of finishing his sentence, he went off, out of the room, and she didn't call him back.

"That was the worst conversation ever," she mumbled to Nathan who only giggled, grinning up at her, before going back to his food. "Not that you noticed. Huh?"

Nope. Not at all. He started eating again with a grin.

When Laxus came back to the table, neither of them could look at one another and, well, it was probably just for the best. Mirajane figured starting the next day, she'd be back up at the guild and everyone would see that no, her and Laxus weren't doing anything with one another.

At all. Because that would just be…bleh. They would never workout. So…

So why couldn't she stop thinking about it?


	10. Chapter 10

Parenthood

Chapter 10

The guild was even better than the kitchen floor, or so Nathan found out when Mirajane dropped him down there, with the warning that when she opened, he would have to come sit up at the bar with her. But until then, he had the run of the place.

Err, his cars had the run of the place.

It was wood flooring everywhere, which meant he could roll his little toy cars all over the place. Sometimes Mira would tell him to be careful or would drag him back to the center of the hall when he got too close to the stairs or the back hallway, but mostly she just left him alone.

She was working.

Eventually, Lisanna showed up and boy, was she glad to see Mirajane.

"What are you doing here?" she asked her. "Oh, please, tell me that I can go back to bed. Are you opening?"

"Mmmhmm."

"Seriously?" She rushed then to go hug her older sister, giggling slightly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you. I-"

"Lisanna?"

"Yeah?"

"You're staying and helping." Mira hugged her back. "Don't you just love working together?"

No. Or at least Lisanna's expression then read as much. When Mirajane saw it, she only giggled more.

"I'm just kidding," she said, letting her sister go. "You can do whatever you want. Honest. I just would like you to stay up here for a minute while I go get downstairs all prepped. Watch Nathan, I mean."

"I really can go home after?"

"Mmmhmm."

"Then yeah, sure, I can do that."

Nathan happened to be close to them then and called out for Mirajane when he noticed her disappear down the back hall. He was about to get up and go follow her when suddenly, Lisanna came to stand in front of him.

"You know," she said to him as he only stared up at her. "I think that you're a really self-absorbed prick, Nathan."

He only continued to stare up at her. Then he stuck his fingers in his mouth and started to suck on them.

"I mean, I get you like Mira more than me. But Natsu? And Lucy? And freaking Levy? Now that I just can't accept. Especially the Natsu thing."

He sat back on his butt when Lisanna moved to take a seat on the ground with him.

"Mira," he said, pointing after where she went, thinking that Lisanna could make her come back.

"You know, considering you like Mira so much, you'd think you'd like me second best. I am sort of her sister," she said as she took to rolling one of his cars around, as if to distract him. "You'd think."

At the sight of her playing with his cars, he went back to that, though he kept glancing over at the hall, waiting for Mirajane to reappear. Not that he didn't like Lisanna. She was okay. He just wanted Mira there.

"It's real annoying being second best, Nathan," Lisanna went on. "But not even being that good is even more annoying."

"Laxus."

"Yeah, he is an ass, isn't he?" she asked, purposely misunderstanding him. Nathan only nodded when she did, always the little mimic. Giggling, she reached out to pat him on the head.

"Can I tell you a secret?" she asked. He went back to his cars, though he did say yes, like he usually did to questions. "I don't think you're going anywhere. Not any time soon. Maybe not ever."

He only giggled when she reached over to tickle his tummy. Then, after shoving at her hand, he got out, "Firsty."

"You are?" Lifting him up as she stood, Lisanna headed over to the bar, peeking around it to find his diaper bag, a sippy cup resting in there. "Lucky you, huh? You got the best babysitter in the world, don't you?"

She was sitting with him at one of the tables, letting him drink from his cup while mostly just playing with her fingers, when Mira got back. And though she liked the kid, sleep was sleep.

"You be back before the lunch shift ends," Mira ordered as Lisanna took off. "I mean it. I can't keep Nate up here all day."

"I'll be here."

"You better."

It was Macao and Romeo that showed up next, his son excited about some job that he'd just returned from or something. Macao though was far more interested in the child that Mirajane had in her arms as she wiped down the bar.

"So this is Laxus' kid, huh?" he said as he came to take a seat.

"Mmmmhmm. Porlyusica says so," Mirajane told him as Nathan took to waving.

"I never took you for the type, Mira," he told her then, shaking his head.

"Type?"

"All this time you've been turning me down for dates because you've wanted Makarov's brat, huh?"

And that was exactly what she'd been hoping to avoid the whole time. She only smiled though, because she always had to be nice, and told him that he was very far off as Romeo took to complaining about how his father was embarrassing him.

The more people that arrived though, the less time Mira had to take care of Nathan. Which was fine when, finally, some of the female members started to show up. It was Levy first, who was thrilled to have the baby around though Gajeel, who was with her, only went to the board to look for a job.

"It's nice to see you back finally, Mira," Makarov greeted when he arrived.

"It's nice to be back, Master," she assured him as he scrambled atop the bar.

"And where is my grandson?"

"I told you, Master, that I'm only employed under Laxus currently," she told him. "I don't keep tabs on him."

"Come now. You two are living together, yes?"

"N-Not really, no. I only spend the night to watch after the baby," she told him. "And that should all be coming to an end soon, I assure you."

"We will see," Makarov told her simply.

"We shall."

Laxus didn't seem to want to show his face at that guildhall that day, though it didn't surprise anyone. The only member of the Thunder Legion that came around was Bickslow and that was only to have some grub before heading out to train he mentioned to Mirajane.

Which was probably for the best. The last thing Mira need was Laxus to be around so even more people could rib her about how she'd taken up a practical residence in his apartment. Cana was that worst, though that was because she'd come in drunk that afternoon, apparently having made a stop off at the liquor store on her way over.

Then Erza had to hand down her own personal advice on the matter.

"I think it id admirable that you are helping Laxus out," Erza told Mirajane as she sat a plate of food in front of her.

"Believe me," the other mage said with a shake of her head. "The last reason I am doing it is for your admiration."

"Oh, you won't be getting any. Because I also think it is foolish."

Mira blinked at that. "Really now?"

She nodded slightly. "Laxus never has to pay for his crimes. He just goes off, licks his wounds, does one nice thing and then-"

"Are you jealous that he didn't ask you to babysit, Erza?"

She only clenched her fist. "I would be just as good as you at raising a child!"

Right. Because when someone saw Erza, the first thing they thought wasn't a mood crazed warrior. Nope. They saw child raiser extraordinaire.

Nathan was pretty okay for most of the day. Until around noon when he started to complain about being hungry. Mira only sat him behind the bar with her and gave him a plate of food.

"Don't make a mess," was her one warning. "And don't get under Kinana or my feet, huh?"

"Rawr."

Then she patted his head. "Rawr."

When he finished with that, he wanted someone to play with, which was great, because Asuka was around and had some paper and crayons. Which, of course, Nathan at first tried to eat, but eventually that got resolved.

It was his crying, about an hour later, that made Mira just want to bang her head in.

"Maybe he's sleepy," Asuka suggested as her own mother tried to tend to the toddler, if only so Mira didn't have to stop working. But it wouldn't work. Because he want Mirajane.

Err, actually, he wanted his mother, but she didn't seem to be coming around anymore. Mira was the only other that would do.

"Kinana and I are getting slammed, but you wanna cry?" she sighed as she took him outside, hoping it would only take a minute. "Honestly?"

"What'd you do to the kid?"

She frowned as, as soon as she stepped outside, she spotted Laxus coming up the walk, hands in his pocket as he stared at her with a slight frown.

"I didn't do anything to him," she said, glaring. He only shrugged slightly.

"Don't care none," he said simply. "Just came by to find Freed. He around?"

"Laxus, I don't know," she groaned as he came closer, her walking off slightly as she bounced the baby in her arms. "I think he's sleepy."

"Freed?"

"The baby, Laxus. You know what I'm saying."

He only glanced down at it, taking the red face and skewed up eyes before saying, "You try putting it to bed?"

She was about done with him, honestly. "Where, Laxus? I'm at the guild. And I really, really need to get back in there, so-"

"Alright, alright, I'll do it."

"Really?" That shocked her, as she was expecting more of a fight. Turning, she tried to hand off Nathan to him, but he wouldn't even remove his hands from his pockets. "Wha-"

"I'll go run the bar for you until you calm it down," he said before snorting. "I don't like touching the kid when it's not all snotty. You think I want him now?"

"Laxus-"

"Hurry up though, demon," he grumbled as he turned to head into the bar. "I don't take well to serving people."

It took some time, but eventually Nathan fell asleep against her shoulder, his arms wrapped tightly around her neck. She really wanted to be able to take him home, so he could truly nap, but until Lisanna showed up, that wasn't an option. And considering she hadn't seen Lucy, Happy, or Natsu the whole day either, she figured Lisanna was somewhere goofing off with them, completely forgetting her promise to her sister.

Upon entering the bar again, she was shocked to find that it hadn't fallen into complete disarray. In fact, Laxus was even up there running the bar…sort of. He was more or less just ordering poor Kinana around, but then again, he was always more of a overseer than a worker.

"Okay," she said as she made it back over to the bar, Laxus immediately coming around it, glad to be relieved of his duties. "He's sleeping. Now you should take him home and-"

"I ain't taking it nowhere," he said with a frown. "This was your poor planning, not mine. I never thought you should work up at the guild and for me. And by the way, I was very disappointed in having to make my own breakfast this morning."

She only rolled her eyes. "Laxus, I'm not in the mood, alright? He needs to nap. And if he wakes up, he's going to start crying again. I-"

"Then lay him down on the floor."

"Laxus," she growled before shutting her eyes and counting to ten. Then, slowly, she said, "Just go sit over there, at your table, and wait for Freed. Alright?"

"Like I needed your permission."

She followed him over to it though and, to his dismay, when he sat down, she placed the sleeping toddler in his lap.

"Mirajane-"

"If he wakes up, he's your problem," was she all she said before heading off to get back to work.

"I ain't paying you for this."

Honestly, with all she'd put up with the past few weeks from him, he wasn't paying her enough regardless.

He put his headphones in then, to let others know that no, he would not be up for talking. Child or no child, he was still very much the same Laxus as always.

Still though, he really didn't want the brat to wake up again. And he could feel too, even though he wouldn't look over there, the eyes of his grandfather on him from atop the bar, as if judging him.

Yeah. Like the guy that raised Ivan had any room to talk.

"Laxus, you will not believe what I did for you!"

"Be quiet, Ever," he sighed as she came bouncing over to his table sometime later, Freed leading the way. They had just come into the guildhall and, per usual, had headed right over to him. "You might wake the-"

"That will not be your problem any longer," Freed told him, his eyes bright as he took a seat close to the man he so admired. It had not tarnished his opinion in the slightest that he'd fathered an illegitimate child. In fact, Freed blamed those filthy women for even trying to pin such an atrocity on the good name of Laxus Dreyar, true or not.

"What do you mean?"

Ever only took her own seat, still grinning. "I have a friend that me and Freed met with today that is more than ready to take the child off your hands."

Laxus blinked. Then he narrowed his eyes. "A friend of yours, huh?"

"Yes. She and her husband cannot have children," Ever went on with a shrug. "And they've been looking into adopting one. So I told her about your predicament and she'll take him immediately! She only lives a train ride away. You don't even have to take him. Freed and I will. Won't we, Freed?"

"We would most enjoy your company," he said with a nod of his head. "But-"

Sneering then, Laxus said simply, "Ain't no friend of yours, Ever, worthy of a Dreyar."

She blinked. Then, slowly, she began to get flustered and only tried to backtrack.

"And did I ask for your help? Last time I checked, I didn't. Now scram! Go run off to Elf_boy_. I don't wanna see you the rest of the day."

She looked completely drained then as she stared at the man she held in such esteem. For a moment, she herself was stone. Then, as if recovering, she scurried off. Laxus only shut his eyes though.

He'd deal with making up with her later. She was so easy to manipulate.

"I am sorry if we have shamed you," Freed said quickly, moving to get up as well. "We were only trying to help, Laxus. We will find someone better. No, _I_ will find someone better. If you so wish. I-"

"Knock it off," Laxus grumbled before nodding for him to sit again. Slowly, Freed did so. "I don't want you to look."

"U-Understood. Ever and I were only trying to-"

"And don't mention this to Mirajane."

"Huh?"

"Tell that to Ever," Laxus said. "Tell her not to tell Elfman and his sisters about how I turned down the offer."

"I don't understand. I-"

"That's because your puny brain can't understand anything close to what mine can," Laxus growled, the noise waking the child in his lap. "Now get out of here. Go train or something. I don't want you around for the rest of the day."

He literally bowed to him before scurrying off. It was just in time too, as Mirajane came up, scolding him almost immediately.

"What did you do to your friends, Laxus?" she complained as she moved to take the whining child from his lap. "You need to behave. You've been a real grouch lately."

He only watched as she went to tending to his son, who was easy to soothe, before setting him back in his lap.

The thing was, he decided as Mirajane walked away, that there was no way for Freed to understand it. Or Ever. Because even Laxus didn't understand it. Something in him just didn't…he couldn't…

"You live to see another day, kid," he grumbled softly to Nathan. "And you ain't even appreciative. Stupid brat."

The sleeping baby only cuddled closer to him, never knowing that he'd been words away from being shipped off to yet another family. And as Laxus went back to listening to his music and counting the minutes until Mirajane got off and they could go home, he knew he'd never understand it at all.

"Maybe I'm sick," he mumbled. It had to be that.

Didn't it?

* * *

><p><strong>Late, I know, but bleh. <strong>


	11. Chapter 11

Parenthood

Chapter 11

"Have fun?"

Laxus frowned, coming further into the apartment, having not expected anyone to be up. It was nearly midnight, after all, and he'd been gone since that morning. "What are you talking about, demon?"

She only sat there on the couch, strumming softly on her guitar. Laxus could see Nathan in his playpen, already asleep. It was rather late.

"You went on a date, didn't you?"

Grunt. He locked the door behind him before going over to the couch.

"I don't date," he said simply, patting her on the head. "I just fuck."

She frowned at that, more from the pat than the words, watching as he headed to his bedroom. A few minutes later, he returned wearing only a pair of jeans, his Sound Pod in hand.

"Here." He sat down on the couch with her before moving to latch one of his headphones onto her ear. Mira dodged him though.

"Wha-"

"Here," he insisted as they sat there in the darkness, moving to try again. Sitting very still, Mirajane let him. Not a moment later, she heard a song playing.

"What do you want me-"

"Can you play that?"

She blinked. Then she glanced at him. "I think so. I'd have to listen to it some."

"'kay. I gotta get something to eat anyhow and then shower." He got up once more before walking away. "Learn to play it before I get back."

She only stared after him for a moment before shaking her head. If he wanted her to play the dang song, fine. She always liked learning something new anyhow.

He took his time getting back to her. And when he did, he only said, "C'mon. Don't want to wake the kid."

Slowly, as if unsure, Mirajane got to her feet before heading after him, taking her acoustic and his Sound Pod along.

"Would you play better sitting in the chair?" Laxus asked as they made it to his room. "Or- Oh, So you just gonna take the bed without asking."

"Mmmhmm," she said as she sat with her legs crossed there, in the center of it. "Unless you wanna fight me for it, dragon."

"No thanks," he grumbled before going to grab his desk chair and drag it over, right next to the bed. The, after taking a seat, he nodded at her. "Play."

Mira felt kinda awkward, honestly. Then again, given the way Laxus was sitting, staring so hard at her, and the fact that she was on his bed, that was sort of a given. She felt like she was about to strip for him or something…

But she couldn't very well back out then. She'd have to site her reasons if she did and, considering they all centered around him possibly having lured her in there to sleep with him, well, she just didn't think she'd be able to say those words aloud.

"It's actually pretty simple," she told him. "The chord progression. And the picking part-"

"Don't like the mechanics, Mira, just like the end product."

She smiled slightly at him then, but he only hunched forwards in his chair, waiting.

When she started to strum, he sat back some, shutting his eyes.

"Sing it."

"I don't know the words, Laxus," she told him.

"I thought I told you to listen to-"

"I did listen to it," she insisted. "But I wasn't paying attention to the words."

Grunt.

Then, slowly, she said, "You sing it."

Snort. "Shut up, Mira."

"Sing it for me, Laxus."

"No."

"I'm playing it for you," she told him. "Just for you. You think you'd be a little more appreciative."

"Me? Appreciate this?" Snort. "You know, I'm actually helping you, demon."

She stopped playing then, just staring over at him. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"How?"

"I'm expanding your taste in music. Getting you into real music. Not that garbage you play."

"Oh, whatever. You love my music."

"I do not."

"Do too."

"No, Mirajane, I don't."

"Explains why whenever I play up at the guild your headphones _magically_ find their way off your ears."

He peeked his eyes open. "You keeping tabs on me, demon?'

"No."

"Then how'd you know that-"

"Because you just told me, Laxus."

Grunt. Shutting his eyes again, he said, "I just think that…you know."

"I clearly don't."

"I think that you have a nice voice," he said then, rather gruffly. "So-"

"Aw. I think you have a pretty voice too, Laxus."

He'd have rolled his eyes, had they been open. Instead, he only said, "Play it again."

So she did. And he only relaxed even more. Enough so that, about the fifth time she played the song, he did start singing slightly. Mirajane only smiled and didn't make a comment on it, if only to keep him from getting embarrassed and putting a stop to it.

She found herself growing tired of that one song though and, eventually, shifted into playing her own music. Laxus didn't say a word, he only sat there, eyes shut, listening to her. Eventually, when she got to the end of one song, she didn't start again. She just sat there for a moment, fingers poised to begin again, awaiting Laxus' reaction.

Nothing. Mira held down a giggle. He was sleeping, head tilted back to the side with his mouth just open slightly. She thought that maybe she could even hear a feint snore coming from him.

"Goodnight, Laxus," she whispered as she quietly exited the room. Once she was back in the living room, she let herself have a little laugh.

Who knew that he would be so much like his son?

"Just gotta sing to them a little and they're out," she sighed as she went to rest her guitar against the side of the couch before laying down herself. Honestly, since she'd taken up working at the guild again as well as helping babysit Nathan, she'd been rather tired most of the time. No more than usual. Just went to show her how restful she'd be when Laxus finally did get Nathan a home.

"Making some great money though," she reminded herself slightly as she curled up. It wasn't until right then that she realized she had left the blanket she usually slept with over on the floor, laid out still from earlier in the day when Nathan had played on it.

"Oh well," she sighed, curling up tightly. She was too sleepy go get up just for a silly little blanket. "Maybe in a minute."

But that minute didn't come. She fell right to sleep and slept right through the night.

* * *

><p>"-why she buy sausage when she knows that I want bacon," Laxus was grumbling as he dug through the fridge, looking for his coveted breakfast food. "Don't know who she thinks she is. Stupid demon."<p>

He was in there, trying to start some breakfast, when he heard the little boy start up in the other room, whining about wanting out of his playpen. Grumbling then, he just pulled the sausage out of the fridge before tossing it on the counter and heading to go free him.

"You gotta be quiet," he told his son as he lifted him up. "Or learn to let yourself out. Seriously, kid, I thought that you would figure it out by now."

"Mira," he complained, pointing over at her still snoozing on the couch.

"She don't work this morning," he sighed as he carried his son off with him into the kitchen. "So shut the fuck up and let her sleep, huh?"

Nathan only took to laying against his shirtless father, slightly annoyed that Mira wasn't up to play with. Laxus was okay though. He guessed.

So it was to the smell of frying bacon (he'd finally found it hidden behind a carton of milk) that Mira woke up. And for a moment, she only laid there, breathing deeply, confused as to where she was.

When she realized, it wasn't so much her surroundings, but rather what was laid over her that caused her problems.

She sniffed it. Then she made a face.

"You could stand to wash this thing," was the first thing she said to Laxus as she came into the kitchen, his usual coat draped over her shoulders. She was more or less wearing it to annoy and/or embarrass him for leaving it over her. He didn't seem to care though.

"Then wash it," he grumbled. "What do you think I'm paying you for? Don't make breakfast, don't wash the things I want-"

"I was doing all those things out of courtesy, Laxus. I'm really only supposed to take care of Nathan."

Grunt. "Another thing I'm having to do right now."

"Well, you could have woken me," she said simply as the little boy, who was still in his father's arms, began to reach out for her. "I mean, honestly."

"You were sleeping," he said as she took the toddler from him.

"Hi," Nathan greeted Mirajane as she only pressed a kiss to his head.

"Were you making me breakfast too?" she asked his father. He only grunted.

"Laxus takes such good care of us, Nathan," she said as she went to go get the toddler something to drink. "He might be careful. We may just decide to move in."

Mira was still wearing his damn coat too, when they sat down to eat. Laxus only narrowed his eyes at the sight.

"I'mma need that back soon, Mirajane."

"Why? I was going to wear it down to the guildhall."

"Just for that, I'm gonna make you."

"Make me?"

He only snorted. "You thought that it was bad before, imagine it now. You coming round wearing my shit."

Blushing, she merely said, "Don't curse in front of the baby."

Snort. "Admit it. You like wearing my stuff."

"Laxus, behave."

He only let out a slow breath. "Whatever, Mira. I really don't want you wearing it out either. I already got women asking questions about you."

"About me?"

"Mostly ones that've seen you out with Nathan. They think…you know, that me and you are… That we have a kid together."

"What do you tell them?" she asked slowly.

"That it's my kid, but not from you. They know his mother anyhow," he said with a shrug. "Or they did. Before she took off."

Then he paused.

"You know what's funny?"

"What?"

"I didn't even realize, you know, that I hadn't seen her in two years until she showed up that day at the guildhall, with the kid." He snickered then. "I bet that she hoped that whole time that I would. That I notice that she wasn't around anymore. That I would somehow realize that she'd left Magnolia and go looking for her. Stupid bitch."

And just like that. It was so simple. She was glad too. It was the one flaw in the idea that she could ever be with him. Because even when they were having a perfect morning, he said something as _disgusting_ as that and ruined it.

He was still laughing too. "She wasn't even that important to me, really. I only… She was friends with one of my other girls. One that I see all the time, yeah? One that gets what the deal is. That-"

"How many kids do you have?" Mira asked, her stomach coiling up.

"None. I mean, this one, but-"

"That you know of," she said then, frowning at him. Slipping off the coat then, she got to her feet, taking Nathan with her.

"I gotta bathe the baby and get down to the guild," she said simply. He could hear it too, the difference in her tone, see the way her posture had changed.

Snort. Like he cared. He was so tired of everyone hating him for being himself. He'd always been that way. Why was it suddenly so shocking? Such a big deal?

"Don't need no woman," he grumbled as he reached out to grab the bacon off her plate. "So she better not start to feel special. Stupid demon."

She wasn't though, as she sat at the side of the tub, scrubbing Nathan up after he'd gotten himself covered in syrup. She wasn't feeling special at all. In fact, Mirajane was feeling a little sick to her stomach.

"He's so revolting," Mirajane mumbled to Nathan who was only trying to play with some of the bath toys she'd bought him. "About everything. Who talks like that? It's sick. He makes me sick. He- Nathan."

He only splashed her again. "Mira."

Leaning down, she pressed a kiss to his head with sigh. Then, against his head, she whispered, "You have to get far away from here, huh? Away from him. I love you too much to let him have anything to do with you. I can't believe that your mother brought you to him, of all people. You'd be better off with a Gorian than you are with your father."

He only patted her cheek with his soapy hand. "Kiss."

She gave him another one. "I wish I could keep you, but that still wouldn't be far enough away. Maybe you should even leave Fiore. You need to be somewhere he and your grandfather can't get you. I only wish that Master understood that."

* * *

><p>"Please, Mirajane? We won't lose him or anything. Carla will be with us!"<p>

"Yeah," Romeo said, nodding his head. "And Happy."

She gave them a look. "You had me at Carla. And then lost me with Happy."

"Well… Natsu's not coming, if that helps any," Wendy said.

"It does, actually," she sighed as she continued to wipe down the bar. "But watch him, alright? And be back in two hours or so, okay? Here's his diaper bag."

"That was easy," Lisanna remarked after Mirajane handed over the child to the two teens and they ran off him with him. Nathan had taken a rather strong liking to Wendy, honestly and though he seemed to annoy Carla, Mirajane knew that the cat would protect him the same as anyone else. "And Laxus doesn't even know that you sent him off with them, so you still get paid."

Mirajane only rolled her eyes at her sister. "He'll throw a fit before they ever get to the park and they'll come running back with him. Either that or they won't want to watch him anymore and take him back. Two hours was just to make them feel like I'm putting faith in them."

"You're not?"

She only went back to wiping down the bar. "We'll just see how things go, huh?"

Just as Mirajane had suggested, they never made it to the park. Mainly because on the way there, they ran into someone.

"Laxus," Nathan announced from Romeo's shoulders, where he was riding. They were passing the man on the street as he walked along with some woman. At the sight, Wendy frowned.

"What are you losers doing with the kid?" Laxus asking, coming over to them with the woman. She only stared down at him in interest.

"So this is your son, huh?" she asked. "I'd heard about him, but-"

"Shut the fuck up," he grumbled as Happy tried to dive for cover in an alley way. "I saw you cat! Is the Salamander here too? I told Mira that I didn't want-"

"No," Romeo said, giving him a bored look. "We were just taking him to the park. It's not that big of deal, okay?"

Growling then, he reached out to snatch his son from the teen's shoulders.

"Hey!"

"Mira said-"

"Mira ain't here," he told them both gruffly. "And since you losers thought it was funny to be dicks to me, you don't get him. Now scram."

"Laxus," Wendy complained, frowning at him.

"You could have had him," he said. "Before your boyfriend here started-"

"I assure you," Carla began as Wendy blushed and Romeo only folded his arms above his head, whistling slightly, "that they are nothing of the sort."

"Don't care. You lost the kid," he said before waiting for one of them to hand him his diaper bag, which he only shoved at the woman he was with. Then he walked off.

"What's his name?" the woman asked as Nathan waved over Laxus' shoulder at the others. He really had wanted to go to the park. "Laxus?"

Grunt.

"Can I hold him?"

He glanced at her before back at his son. Something told him that Mirajane wouldn't like that.

But he wasn't Mira's. He belonged to Laxus. And he could give him to wherever he wanted.

Still though, something just would feel wrong about letting one of his other women hold him. Mira really-

Other? Ha ha. He meant…but…

"No," he told her gruffly. "Just shut up."

"Are we still going to-"

"I said to shut up, didn't I?"

"Firsty," the little boy told his father. Grumbling, he told the woman to hand him his sippy cup.

"I thought someone said that you were getting rid of him?" she asked then, for some reasoning not getting what shut up meant. And if she didn't give the best blows out of all the women he fucked, he might have just sent her off.

"What business is it of yours?" He bounced Nathan some as the woman handed him the cup. "Now I just gotta do something with it." He'd taken him on an impulse and honestly, if his pride wasn't so big, he'd go find Romeo and Wendy so they could have him once more. He was trying to figure out how to do that without coming off as remorseful ('cause he wasn't), when he realized where they were. "Ever."

Her apartment was closer than the guildhall at that point. Not to mention, Laxus really didn't want to walk in there with another woman. Again, he didn't think Mira would-

Gah! Why was he so worried about her feelings anyhow?

"Laxus," Evergreen greeted when they showed up on her doorstep a few minutes later. "Hi. Did you come to-"

"Take this." Then he shoved Nathan off on her. Reaching over to the woman he was with, he grabbed the diaper bag. "And this."

"What? Where's Mira?"

He only stared at her. "If he dies, she might kill us all. So don't kill it, alright?"

With that, he took the woman's arm again and started off. Ever only looked down at the child in her arms before frowning.

"Who was that, Ever?" she heard from behind her as Elfman came out of the bathroom. When she closed the door and turned, he saw the baby. "Was it Mirajane? Lisanna?"

"No," she said slowly, coming over to him. She dropped the diaper bag before holding the child out at arms length. "Here, take it."

'What?" He did so with a frown. "Ever-"

"Well, I don't want it," she said before rushing off to wash her hands. "Why would he come to give me him?"

"Maybe we're supposed to take him to Mirajane? I don't know. What did he say?"

"He just gave me the baby, said not to kill it, and took off with some woman."

"Some woman, huh?" Elfman frowned before looking down at the child. Nathan only smiled up at him.

"If."

"If what?" he asked it.

"If."

"If what?"

"If."

"If wh-"

"He's saying your damn name, stupid," Ever groaned from the bathroom.

"Hey, how was I supposed to know that? I'm not stupid, Evergreen."

"Whatever, I don't care." She came back to him then, all clean once more. "Just take it out of my apartment before it does something…gross."

At that, as if on cue, he dropped his sippy cup and let out a long burp.

"Whoa," Elfman said. "That was super manly!"

"Get out of here!" Ever held her nose. "Now. Before he poops or something."

"Don't take too much offense to this," Elfman told the toddler as they set off for the guildhall, Nathan walking along next to him while holding onto the man's jeans. "Even I can't burp in there. Much less poop."

"Potty."

"Yeah, kid, that's what we're- Ah, no. Seriously?"

So after that pretty unsuccessful adventure in changing a diaper (it was horrible, FYI), Elfman arrived at the guildhall with a giggly toddler.

"What's wrong with you?" Lisanna asked as he came to drop the child down in front of the bar. "You look-"

'If he can tell you that he's going, why couldn't he just hold it until we got to a bathroom?" he grumbled as his younger sister only giggled. Mira, who was behind the bar, rolled her eyes.

"He's not potty trained yet," she said. "And why do you have him anyways?"

"I dunno. Laxus showed up at Ever's with him. I don't know why he-"

"Wendy and Romeo already reported on that one," Mirajane said, nodding over at the teens, who after losing the child, had come back to find something more fun to waste time at. "Why didn't you and Evergreen just keep him?"

"Ever doesn't even like me in her apartment," he said as he lifted the child up one more time, though that was just to give him to Mirajane. At the sight of her, he giggled and gave her a kiss.

"So really, he just spent the past however long doing absolutely nothing fun after being promised to be taken to the park." Mirajane only bounced him in her arms. "Great."

"I can take him, Mira," Lisanna offered. "I'm so bored anyways. Lucy and Natsu pawned Happy off on Wendy and then went on a date. It's like they don't even think about me and him and our feelings."

"I know," Happy complained as he came over to land on Lisanna's head. "If we had dates, we'd both consult with them first. Huh, Lisanna?"

"That's right."

Mira only looked down at Nathan who'd taken to snuggling against her. "I think he's done for the day, guys. Besides, I'm leaving at the start of the night shift, Lisanna, and you're taking over."

"That's what I was hoping you'd forget."

When Mira took off that night for home, it was with Nathan already fed and just ready to be put to bed. In fact, he fell asleep without her even having to sing for him. Just went right to sleep.

She'd only finished with him a moment before Laxus came walking into the door. At the sight of her, he literally grinned, no doubt thinking that they were on good terms.

"Hey, listen to this." He unlatched a headphone and came over to her. "Can you play me-"

"Have you looked into anyone today?" Mirajane asked him instead.

"Looked into?"

"Someone taking the baby," she said. "I mean, you didn't do anything today, but what? Go on a date, according to Wendy and Romeo."

"I told you, I don't date. I-"

"Laxus."

He only stared at her before frowning. "I'm dealing with it, alright? Now listen to this. And did you make me any dinner? I-"

"We're not talking about that right now."

Blinking, he said, "I'm taking care of it, demon. Just listen to this. And the words. I want you to play it for me."

She wanted to argue with him. To tell him no. She wasn't there to be his friend or his maid or his chef. Originally, she wasn't even going to stay more than a week.

So when did she become all of those? Huh?

She wasn't sure. But she did know that when they wound up in his room later, her playing her guitar for him yet again until he passed out, a little tipsy that time, that she didn't wholly hate it.

But she hated herself for falling for it. All of it. She was a demon. The demon. She should have been stronger.

Why wasn't she stronger?


	12. Chapter 12

Parenthood

Chapter 12

She played for them at night. Both of them. At the same time. It was just easier that way, they figured, if she played for them both at the same time.

"Fine," Laxus grumbled when she carried Nathan into the bedroom with them. "But I ain't listening to little kid songs. You're going to play songs for me. Not him."

Originally, it started with Mirajane and Nathan on the bed and Laxus in the chair, but eventually that got silly and Laxus complained of his neck hurting, so he and Mirajane shifted, her going to the chair and him laying down on the bed. After about a week of that though, they tentatively tried being on the bed together, Nathan in between them.

"It's childish," Mirajane explained with a shake of her head. "We're both adults. It's not like… I'm mean, I'm just playing music to put you guys to sleep."

That worked for awhile too. Nathan would fall asleep in there, but Mia would always finish up playing and take him out to the playpen.

"I hate this song," Laxus would complain as, always, the third song would be Nathan's own special song. The first one, he'd usually be excited for. The second one, he'd snuggle up on the bed with his stuffed animals. And the third one, his special one, he'd fall right to sleep.

"Don't be sour, Laxus," Mira said as Nathan only yawned, waiting for her to start singing. "Or are you just jealous that I didn't write a song for you?"

And oh, Nathan's song went on and on. It was a horrible little piece where Mira just sang nonsense about what their day had been like. It changed, fine, because each day was different, but not that much. First she'd sing about what they ate for breakfast and then she'd talk about their morning and bath time, then there was going to the guild or the park and at some point lunch. Then more park or more guild or shopping and finally dinner. Finally, she'd end it just the same as always.

"And now you gotta go to sleep, it's getting kinda late," Mira sang as Laxus only glared at his son, annoyed that once again, they were having to listen to the stupid song. "Tomorrow's coming faster now, and even though I'm tired, I just can't wait."

It was such a stupid song. Why did Mira even need to sing Nathan to sleep? Huh? Huh?

…Oh yeah. 'cause without the kid, there was no Mira in his bed, signing at all. Huh.

"He's so cute when he sleeps," Mirajane told Laxus one night as he only laid on his back, staring up at the ceiling. "Isn't he?"

He glanced over at his son before shrugging. "He's okay."

At that moment, he was all snuggled up in Laxus' purple sheets, curled towards Mirajane with one of his stuffed toys under his arm.

"Why do you have such a big bed anyhow?" she asked softly as she was able to fit on her own half of it, sitting there with her guitar, watching them. "If you never invite women back here?"

"'cause I'm a fucking king. I deserve a king's suite, don't I?"

"You're so cute."

He only grunted. "Play my songs now. The kid's asleep."

"Mmmm. I'm kinda tired too."

"If this is you trying to get me to pay you to sing or something, you need to get over yourself."

"You should tip at least."

"Here's a tip. Play my songs or get out."

"Behave."

His eyes shut then as he just waited. He could feel her watching him too, as if judging him. After a moment, he heard the intro to one of his favorite songs and only sighed a little.

How did he get to that? The moment he was in? How did it all get there? Ugh. He wasn't…

He'd always kinda wanted to bang Mirajane. She'd always been hot. But now he was…did…

Nah.

She was in the middle of one of his songs when Nathan started up, whining slightly. Mirajane didn't even blink. Just like that, Laxus' song was being turned into the beginning verse of Nathan's song.

"No. Mira-"

"-ate some breakfast, quickly now, the morning won't last," she went on as Nathan settled out some. "Laxus woke up at noon, but we had to leave soon."

"I hate this song And all it's incarnations."

Nathan didn't. He loved his special song. Mira told him that he was the only one that got his very own song. Which wasn't wholly true, Laxus figured, as a lot of Mira's songs seemed to be based on old boyfriends, but he figured anything to make the little brat feel special.

"This time I better take him out there, huh?" Mirajane gathered Nate into her arms the second that he drifted back off. "G'night, Lax-'

"What about me?"

"What about you?"

"You can come back and play for me. You're supposed to be playing for me."

She only headed out of the room with the toddler, though she did leave her guitar behind. When she returned to him, it had been a few minutes and honestly, he was thinking that she wasn't coming back.

Then she did. And instead of saying anything, she only went to get back into bed, picking her guitar back up, and going back to playing like it was nothing. It was nothing, after all. They both had agreed that it was. It had to be. Because if it wasn't nothing then it was…was…something.

And what was going on with them was not something. Not at all.

"You getting tired, demon?" Laxus asked at one point when she stopped playing all together as she let out a long yawn. "Go lay down. You work the morning shift."

"But you haven't fallen to sleep yet."

He peeked an eye open for that. "What are you trying to say here?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are…singing me to sleep?'

"For the past few weeks."

"Ha. No." He shut his eye again. "I'm just enjoying the sound of music being played as I may or may not drift off. That's all."

"Maybe you should go to sleep too, Laxus," she said as she moved to climb out of bed, yawning again. "You little grumpy dragon."

After she left, Laxus only laid on his back, trying hard to fall asleep. It wasn't easy. Recently, he'd felt a big clinch in his stomach when he was alone. Especially when he got a chance to think. It was like he couldn't turn his brain off anymore.

He had to do something with Nathan. He had to do something about the nothingness that was going on between Mirajane. He had to put an end to all of it.

…Eventually. In the very, very far future.

* * *

><p>"I don't fish."<p>

"No, but it would be a fun thing to do," Mirajane said as she spent her break at the guild at the Thunder God Tribe's usual table. Laxus had sent all of them off though when Mira said she wanted to speak with him alone.

"When do you even wanna do it? And I don't have fishing poles. They're a stupid thing to have."

She made a face at him. "What do you eat out on jobs?"

"Whatever the heck Freed makes me."

Rolling her eyes, she said, "Then I'll ask Natsu and Lucy for some. Please? Nate really likes the idea of it."

The little boy, who was in her lap, looked up at his name. "Apa."

"What the hell does an apple have to do with fish?" Laxus grumbled.

"Aw. You can understand him?"

"What's there to understand? He's asking you for his freaking snack. He wants apple slices. So get him apple slices." Laxus looked off. "You should know that You're the babysitter."

"Well, considering that's not what he means, maybe you should try a little harder as a father."

Narrowing his eyes, he said, "Look, demon, if you wanna go fishing, ask someone else. Why do I have to go?"

"I just thought you would like to," she said with a sigh. "Never mind."

But she didn't get up. Because she knew that if she just gave it a minute-

"Fine. Tomorrow we can go fishing. Now get the damn kid an apple or something. He's annoying me."

"He's not doing anything to you."

"He's looking at me."

"Oh, Laxus."

After she was gone, Freed and Bickslow came back over, the latter's dolls floating around his head.

"What was that about, boss?" Bickslow asked, tongue sticking out.

"Nothing," he grumbled. "Training's off tomorrow. For me anyways. You idiots still need it."

"Of course, Laxus," Freed said, bowing his head. "But why the sudden change of plans?"

"What does this look like, huh? Some sort of democracy? You shouldn't need me there to train anyhow." With that, he got up. "Tell Ever that she better be there too. I'm tired off her goofing off to hangout with Elfboy. It ends now. She's either one of my bodyguards or she's not. Got it?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Of course, boss!"

Then he headed out o the guildhall. He had to get away from Mirajane.

She saw him leave too, standing over behind the bar then as Nathan sat up on the bar next to his great-grandfather, babbling some nonsense to the old man. Makarov only humored him though, which was fine, as it kept Mira from having to keep too close an eye on him.

"What were you talking to tall, light, and ferocious about?" Lisanna asked her eventually. "Mirajane?"

"We're going fishing tomorrow," she said as her sister, who was sitting on a stool in front of the bar, only nodded.

"Oh, right, like a date."

"No," Mirajane said, giving her sister a hard look. "Not like a date. Nathan wants to go fishing."

"How do you know that?"

"He really likes songs about water and fishing and stuff."

"Mira-"

"How often do I ask for anything, Lisanna? Huh?"

"W-Well-"

"So if I wanna go fishing, can I not just go freaking fishing?"

"Okay, okay, never mind."

Mira only let out a slight huff. She was really tired of everyone trying to make her and Laxus into something they weren't. They were just looking after a child together. And, more often than not, she'd sing him to sleep at night. That was all.

"He likes fishin', huh?" Makarov glanced over at Mirajane. "Ivan used to like it too, when he was young."

"Well, I don't really know if he does yet," Mira giggled. "But Laxus didn't seem to want to really go."

"You know this about my grandson the same as I do," he told her then. "He doesn't do a single thing he doesn't want to. He- Hey now."

Nathan had reached up and snatched Makarov's jester hat off his head before tossing it to the ground with a giggle.

"Nathan," Mira scolded, bending down to get it.

"You think that's funny, do you, boy?" Makarov only patted the child on the top of his blond little head. "You're gonna be naughty like Laxus, huh? Or good like Ivan?"

"Good like Ivan?" Lisanna repeated, frowning.

"Ivan was the best child," Makarov said as Mira handed him his hat. "When he was young. Laxus though…" Shaking his head, he said, "He was constantly into things. Everything. You couldn't leave him alone in a room. His mother once…"

He didn't finish what he was saying and the women left it at that as Nathan only turned to crawl across the bar. Not wanting him to disturb anyone, Lisanna quickly pulled him into her lap.

"Where were you escaping to, huh?" she asked as the toddler only giggled and patted her cheek.

"So can you ask Natsu and Happy if I can borrow their fishing poles?" Mira asked her sister then. "Please? It'd be great if they could get them to me tomorrow morning."

Lisanna only sighed. "If you really-"

"Great. Thank you."

"You know, every time you ask me for a favor, I feel less like you're asking and more like you're ordering."

"Can you please stop talking now, Lisanna?"

"Ha ha."

* * *

><p>"You better catch us some fish soon, Laxus. Nathan looks hungry."<p>

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled as he sat by the river, watching the current as it went by. Nathan was busy with Mirajane, a little bit further from the river's edge, so he didn't get curious and fall in. Mira had brought his diaper bag along with a few of his toys, which he was very interested in playing with.

"We could have just stayed home for this," Laxus remarked as Mirajane sat with the little boy, strumming on her guitar. "You know that?"

"You're bonding with your son."

Glancing over at her, he said, "I told you, Mirajane, we're not keeping him."

"Who said that we are?" She kept playing. "It would give you good practice, you know."

"I know what?"

"When you stop… When you grow up," she said. "When you settle down or whatever. And have a wife. You'll know how to deal with your kids."

"I'm never having kids."

"Right."

"I'm not," he told her. "This was a horrible mistake and I'd like to just move on and live like it never happened."

"See, I'd believe that more if you put any effort at all into finding him a real home."

"I'm so sorry, Mirajane, that I don't want to just pawn a young, defenses child off on some family that might as well be serial killers or something."

She only let out a soft breath. "The longer we keep him, the harder it'll be to get rid of him."

"For you, maybe," he grumbled. "But me? I could kick you and him both out on the street today. Right this very second even. Wouldn't feel a thing."

"You wouldn't?"

"Nope."

"That's not surprising," she said, "considering how coldhearted you like to pretend to be."

"There is no pretending, Mira. I-"

"You save people, Laxus. For a living. You-"

"For money, Mirajane. For jewels," he said. "For the prestige. Not because I give two shits about-"

"You saved us, Laxus," she told him softly. "Fairy Tail."

"That's different."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Because we're family?" she asked. "Well, Nathan's your family too. And I think that you're growing attached."

"Really? 'cause I think that _you're_ the one growing attached."

"Me?" She stopped playing then as she scoffed. "I just love taking care of babies. I would take in anyone's child. And the second I know that he has a good home, someone that will take care of him, I'll be gone. And you'll only be able to hear me play when you're lucky enough to be in the bar when I'm up on stage."

Snort. "You think you're good, woman? I listen to real music, everyday, through the best headphones in the world. I-"

"You have an outdated model, Laxus," she told him. "My headphones though, they-"

"Ha. Hardly."

She began playing again, just like that. Because as easy as it was for the two of them to ruin a good moment, it was also pretty easy for them to start one.

"I got one," Laxus said suddenly as his pole bobbed. "I got a fish."

"You hear that, Nathan? Laxus caught us a fish," Mira told the little boy who giggled at the sound of his name.

"Mira."

"Mmmhmm."

"Laxus didn't get anyone a fish, but himself," the man grumbled to which the barmaid only giggled.

"Yes, you did. You always get the women and children fed first. Or don't you know that, Mr. Hero?"

"I'm not a hero, Mirajane. I told you. I'm in it for the money."

"Okay, Mr. Hero."

"Knock it off," he grumbled as he reeled the fish in. It was of medium size and clearly, if he was going to feed them all, he was going to have to get some more. "You start on that fire yet?"

"No," she groaned, setting her guitar down on the ground. "I'll go find wood."

"Mira," Nathan called as she walked off. "Mira."

"Stay with Laxus," she told him. "I'll be back."

Great. He was stuck with the kid.

It took Mirajane so long to show back up with the wood that eventually, Nathan got bored and headed over to Laxus to see if he could get Mira to come back.

"Mira," he told the man as he came over to him. "Mira."

"She's getting firewood," Laxus grumbled. He'd cast another line then and only reached over to grab the little boy then, who was getting too close to the river.

"C'mere," he sighed, pulling him into his lap. "You sit here. You fall in that river and drown, I'll have the full force of Satan Soul coming down on me and I cannot deal with that. At all."

Nathan only sat up tall in his father's lap before leaning back against him. "Laxus."

Hunching forwards slightly, he rested his own head against the child's gently, sighing slightly as he stared out at the river.

"Ivan fucked me up, kid," he told the little boy softly as Nathan only yawned slightly. He was getting a tad sleepy. "Real bad. If it wasn't for Gramps… But see, you don't have a gramps. Your gramps is the guy that screwed me to hell. And he would only hurt you. So you get it, don't you? Why this can't… Maybe Ever's friends'll still take you. You'll be happy there. Ever's so… If they're her friends, they're good people."

Then he frowned. "'cept she's banging Elfboy, so I don't really know, but I'm sure they're nice. I'll check the place out first, you know? Get you settled. And Mira will probably… Nah. She'll probably be too sad to go. But you'll be fine there. Don't you think?"

"Mira."

He only let out a slow breath. "I just gotta do it. Soon. I just need a little more time."

"Laxus."

"Yeah," he sighed as the little boy began to nod off in his lap. "That's me."


	13. Chapter 13

Parenthood

Chapter 13

"We need to talk."

Laxus only laid there, on the couch, arms behind his head, not moving in the slightest. "Talk."

"Now, Laxus. Get up."

"Mirajane-"

"No. Sit up and look at me."

She sounded serious. Sitting up, he saw her go and put his son in his playpen before coming back over to him with her hands on her hips.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "I thought you were going to the market?"

"Oh, I was. And I did. But then-"

"Did you not get my bacon like I asked? Because this morning's breakfast was remiss without it."

"No games," she said, glaring so heavily at him that he had to sit to attention. "What have you been telling people about us?"

"What are you-"

"What, Laxus?"

"Nothing! I-"

"Then how come I was just walking down the street when I ran into two women who were very intent on making me feel-"

"What are their names?' He stood at that, frowning slightly. "I'll take care of it. What-"

"You're missing the point."

"The point? The point is that they think it's okay to bother you," he grumbled, his gaze turning dark. "I told all of them to-"

"So you did tell people that we were together."

"No," he said then, frowning. "Just that…well… The two of us have been taking Nathan out a lot recently, together, and people see us together and I only… I mean, Mira, what do you want me to say?"

"I'm only babysitting. I-"

"If that were true, you wouldn't need to be around when I am," he said before sighing. "I just told them that you were looking after the kid and that you were… That you weren't one of them. That you were above them. And that if anyone-"

"Great. Great, Laxus. So what? They think I'm your girlfriend?"

"I don't know. What difference does it make? You're not, so-"

"So I don't like women that I don't know coming up to me and making fun of me, Laxus," she said, her arms finding there way across her chest. "They were laughing and being rude, talking about how I was raising that other woman's baby and ooh, aren't I so desperate? When they can have you whenever they want, but here I was, having to-"

"I'll take care of it."

"No, Laxus, I-"

"Mirajane." He was staring down at her then, reaching up to grab her chin and tilt it back. When he had her eyes, he said simply, "I'll take care of it."

She sniffled. "I'm not a whore."

"I know." Letting her go then, he patted her on the head before saying, "If you tell me who they were, I'll go deal with it."

"I don't know, Laxus. I've never seen them before."

He gave her a long look before nodding slightly. "I have to go out anyhow. I was just waiting for you to see if you wanted to come with- But you don't know, do you?"

"No."

"Alright. That's fine." He turned then to go and get his boots as well as his coat. "I'll see you then. Tonight?"

"Sure."

After he took off though, Mirajane felt even worse. It was one thing for the people at the guild to giggle or joke about it, but did people really think that she was…what? The woman that was so desperate to be with Laxus Dreyar that she would let him run around on her as she raised a child he had with another woman?

And more important, _was_ that what she was?

"No," she reminded herself as she went to free Nate from his prison. "He's paying me."

That relieved her for only a moment, because just as quickly she thought wasn't that worse? And wasn't it? So he was paying her to…to…what? Play house with him? Wasn't that what Master said?

But on the other hand, she really liked Nathan. A lot. She thought that he was great. And yeah, she told Laxus and everyone else that she would treat any child the same way, but she questioned herself at times. Was she getting a little bit too into her role?

It wasn't until she was, once again, snooping through his mail that she found something.

"Unbelievable," she whispered as she stared down at all the letters. "I can't believe… How could he?"

Needless to say, when Laxus got home, it wasn't to a woman ready to make him dinner and then play him guitar. No. Instead it was to Nathan already in bed and Mirajane standing with the bag of her stuff, guitar in hand.

"I can't stay here anymore," was the first thing out of her mouth. "And I don't know what you thought was going on, Laxus, but it's not."

"What are you talking about?" He frowned, shutting the door behind him. "I thought we already went over-"

"I read your letters, Laxus, that came in. The ones that you were sending out." She only corssed her arms. "How long have the families that you hit up in the beginning been asking about Nathan?"

"What?" He moved to unhook his headphones. "Mirajane-"

"I read at least three saying that they were ready to take him and asking you to bring him. At least. And I saw a letter you had begun to write to another one stating that he'd already been placed. So what-"

"You were going through my shit?"

"Don't try and make me into the bad guy, Laxus. You-"

"No, Mira," he growled, stalking over to her. "You are not allowed to do that. Just go through my shit or whatever? What, you think that's cool? You little-"

"You've been lying to me, Laxus. You've been wasting my time. What don't you get about that?" She was glaring at him. "What is it? Huh? Funny to you? To have me wasting my time here, doing nothing, but take care of one of your kids? Do you make fun of me with your stupid bodyguards? Do you-"

"You shouldn't go through my-"

"I'm leaving. Ask one of those families to take him. I'll bring him there myself. But I am done playing-"

"Mirajane-"

"No, Laxus. You-"

He grabbed her arm when she tried to get by him. Staring into her eyes, he said, "Fuck, Mira. It's not a game, alright? It's… I want you here, stupid."

"I'm not st-"

"I know." He let her go when she jerked against his hold. "I'm just… I wanted you here, alright? That's why I've been… And you wouldn't stay if Nathan wasn't here. And I know that's wrong. I was going to give him up eventually. But I didn't…"

"So what? You want a maid? You-"

"I want you, demon," he growled then. "What don't you get about that?"

"L-Laxus-"

"I want… I don't know what I want, Mirajane. All I know is that these past few weeks have been…" He set his face then, turning it from her shocked one. "Just go. I'll pick one of the families and have him gone by tomorrow."

"Laxus-"

"What part of go don't you get? Huh?" He was growling then, eyes shading over. Stalking away, he said, "Get the fuck out of here. Stupid bitch."

Mira only stood there for a minute, staring at him, before shaking her head. "I don't know why I even ever tried to help you. Good luck, Laxus. And don't ever ask me for a thing again."

He wanted to break things after the door shut and she was left. He wanted to hurt someone. He wanted to hurt himself.

Instead, Laxus only went to collapse on the couch, trying to use his music to blare it all out. It didn't work. It wasn't that same.

It must have been an hour or more that he just laid there, miserable in his own lies and partially angry with Mira for, one, not trusting him and for two, going as far as to dig through his letters.

But maybe…maybe he wanted to get caught? Somewhere in his subconscious? Because…why else would he have been so careless/

And really, could he be that mad? He had been lying to her for one. And for two, he had left them right in her view. She wouldn't have had to dig through that much stuff. Just poke around a little, which of course he knew she'd do. She always did.

Perhaps it was himself that he was most upset with, for ruining it. Not like it could have gone on forever. He was just hoping for a few more weeks. A couple more days. Even a few more hours.

Why did his whole life have to suck? Huh?

* * *

><p>"-do this to me? I mean, he's always a dick, but to do this?"<p>

Lisanna only sat in Mira's bed with her, trying to comfort her. It was odd though, almost like a role reversal, as it was usually Mirajane trying to get her back to normal after a meltdown. Mira was usually so well put together around her.

"But didn't you hear what he said, Mira? What you told me he said? That he wanted you there. So that means-"

"So what, Lisanna? He wants to sleep with me? And have me keep house for him? And take care of his baby?"

"Well-"

"That's exactly what I don't want."

"I don't understand."

Mirajane sniffled, looking up from the pillow her face had just been buried in.

"I don't do that, Lisanna. If I'm with a guy, then I'm the only one that gets to be with him," she said. "But he won't be like that."

"How do you-"

"He came home after spending time with another one of those women," Mira sobbed, moving to press her head into the pillow again. "That's all he'll ever want."

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do. And he was holding poor Nathan hostage. Using him against me. Now I'll never get to see him again!"

"Mirajane-"

"It's not fair, Lisanna," she said. 'I mean, I love him. Nathan. I really do. He's…"

"I know."

"And I've been taking care of him for awhile now. He really cares about me too," she went on. "I sang him his favorite songs tonight, to put him to sleep. But he didn't want to. He just wanted me to keep snuggling him and…and… He's going to forget all about me!"

"Isn't that what you want, Mira/ I thought-"

"I do," she said. "But it still makes me sad. I mean… I can't be his mother. I just can't. And I don't want to be. Not really. But the thought of him without me makes me cry."

"But why can't you?"

She sniffled some more. "What do you mean?"

"What if you take him? From Laxus? And we can raise him. Me, you, and Elf!"

"Lisanna-"

"We raised each other," she insisted. "So therefore, we could no doubt raise him. And what's the worst Laxus can say? No? He won't. He'll just want to get him off his hands now that he can't use him to get at you."

"Yeah, but-"

"We can, Mira. Me and you. We'll work it out. You're practically taking care of him all on your own now. And he'll love it here. I mean, he already likes you. And his crib can go in your room until he's ready for a bed. And by then, Elf should be moved in with Evergreen."

"For some reason, I doubt that."

"Then he'll sleep in the same room as me. In his own little bed. Or with you. You never have men over anyways."

"Thanks for that."

"Mirajane," Lisanna said, staring so hard at her that she had to lift her head again. "We can do this. We can have a baby."

"You really think so?"

"I know so. And if his mother ever comes back, she can have him, but Laxus…"

"I really thought he was different," Mira told her sister as tears stilled in her eyes. "Now. That he'd change. But every time I gave him the chance to show me that, every time I gave him an opportunity to show that he'd grown up some, he'd mention something or do something that showed that he didn't. That proved that he wasn't any better. He's just a sleazy, disgusting man that's going to die alone and never rightly figure out why."

Then Lisanna started crying, making Mirajane frown.

"What's wrong with you?"

"I'm going to die alone too," she sobbed as then, the roles were back in their proper places as Mirajane moved to wrap her arms around her sister. "No one even likes me. I mean, I'm in a guild with a bunch of pervy guys and none of them even hit on me. And then Natsu and Lucy are… I'm not compatible even for the guy that I've loved my whole life?"

"Lisanna," Mirajane groaned. "It's not like your fifty. Your life hasn't been that long."

"But it has. And it's sucked. No one wants me, Mira and I-" Then she stopped herself. "I mean, well… It's not like your situation is any better. Laxus Dreyar wants you. And that's just-"

"Let's just sleep tonight, huh?" Mira asked then, her eyes still swollen from crying. "And maybe things will look better in the morning."

"It's doubtful," Lisanna mumbled, not moving to get out of bed. That wasn't wholly unusual for either of them though as typically, when she was having a breakdown, they'd fall asleep after staying up talking all night. She figured the same would be said for Mirajane's little tantrum.

Mira only snuggled her closer. "I have to get down to Laxus' place in the morning early. Or else he might get on a train and try to take of with Nathan."

"No way," her sister said through a sniffle of her own then. "He's our baby now. Right?"

"Right."

* * *

><p>"Wonder where boss had to go," Bickslow said as he sat on the couch, his babies dashing around, inspecting their surroundings.<p>

"I do not know," Freed said as he stood over the playpen of the small child, who was still sleeping. Laxus had called them both there by use of his communication lacrima, claming that he needed them to watch the child. "I also wonder what happened to Mirajane. She has been his childcare provider from the start. Why-"

"Maybe they got into a fight."

"Hmm. It is possible, of course."

They were still there too, when around seven that morning, Nathan woke up. And immediately began crying.

"What are we supposed to do with him?" Bickslow asked.

"I don't know," Freed said as he moved to lift the child into his arms. "Shouldn't you?"

"Why would I-"

"You are the one with babies."

"They're wooden, dude!"

They went through diaper change, tried feeidng him, but nothing. And then, about the time that Laxus arrived back up, the child began throwing up.

"I leave you knuckleheads alone with him for a few hours-"

"We didn't do anything, boss!"

"I am so sorry, Laxus. Do with us what you see fit."

But he didn't even think about them. Nathan felt a little warm and, according to them, had been screaming his lungs out for the past hour or so. That didn't sound good at all.

So that was his excuse, if one wanted to call it that, for banging on the Strauss house that morning. He'd have found one anyways, though.

"What are you do-"

"He's throwing up and crying and Bickslow and Freed think he's sick, but I just-"

Mirajane frowned, staring at a panicked Laxus on her doorstep. "Well, come in, but-"

"What if he has what I had? What if-"

"Let me see." Without even a thought, Mirajane took the snot covered child into her arms. It wasn't instant, but nearly so as his crying shut off just like that. "There you go. Did you just miss me?"

Yes. Nathan laid miserably against her, almost giving out then. He'd woken up to Mira every day for over a month and suddenly, she thought that she could just disappear on him?

"Well," Mira said slowly, looking back at the man on her doorstep whose hair was a mess and eyes were wide with concern. "Come in, I guess, Laxus. We need to talk any-"

"Is he okay?" He'd forgotten then all about what he'd spent the morning doing. "If something's wrong with him, Mirajane, tell me now. I-"

"I'm no doctor, Laxus, but I think he'd just worked himself up when he couldn't find me," she said, turning to walk further into the house. "And all that crying probably made him spit up little bit. Has he eaten?"

"Bickslow and Freed said that they couldn't get him to."

"Shhh, Nathan. I'm here," Mira sighed as she carried the toddler with her into the kitchen. "It's okay."

Elfman and Lisanna were already up, both of them, her seated on one of the counters and him over at the stove, shirtless as he made pancakes.

"What are you doing here?" Lisanna grumbled, crossing her arms. "Did you come to hand over our baby?"

"Lisanna-"

"What are you talking about?" Laxus grumbled, cutting Mira off. "He's sick, so I brought him to Mirajane."

"Yeah, well, you might as well just leave then," Lisanna told him. "We're keeping him. Elf'll go get his things later."

"Elf will what now?" her older brother asked, glancing around. "Something seems fishy around here. You guys all know more than me, don't you? You guys are just like Ever. She never tells me anything. Even-"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Laxus looked to Mira then. "What's she-"

"Me and Lisanna want him," she told him then as she sat with Nathan in her lap. "So you don't have to-"

"No. No way. You-"

"You don't want him, Laxus,," Lisanna said, jumping off the counter. "And we do. So just get out. And if you ever make our sister cry again, we'll-"

"He what?"

"Elf," Mira groaned.

"I'll kill you," Elfman growled then, leaving the fry pan to go over to Laxus. He wasn't paying attention to Lisanna or Elfman though. Only Mirajane.

"This is true then? You want him?" he asked.

"If that's an option, yes, Laxus. I want him. I… He won't have to know that you're his father. I'll tell him that he's dead or that he left me. Whatever you want. But I just… I love him."

"Mira," Nathan said then, reaching up to pat at her. She only kept her eyes on his father though.

"You do?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Mira," the little boy tried again. Still, he got nothing.

"Then why can't you do that with me, Mira? Why can't-"

"It doesn't work that way, Laxus."

"But why not? Huh? Why-"

"It just doesn't." She finally glanced down at Nathan. "Now, if you don't want me to have him, that's something we can discuss. But as far as him being sick, I don't think so. I think he just missed me. He probably-"

And then he did it. Just like that, instead of just spitting up or something, the child literally threw up. Pretty big too. He must have eaten a little of what Bickslow and Freed tried to give him at least, because yuck. Little kids were nasty.

"Ooh," Mira said as it got all over her dress. "Nathan."

He started crying again, almost immediately.

"Lisanna, can you-"

"No way," she said with a frown. "That's gross."

"Weren't you the one that was all gung-ho about us raising a baby together?"

"Not a disgusting one."

Laxus finally came over to pick up his son, though he too only held him at arms length.

"Maybe it's dying."

"Laxus," she complained as Elf came over with a dish rag to help her clean off. "He's sick. We have to take him to Porlyusica. Just let me change first."

"I'll go," Lisanna said. "I-"

"No," Mira told her with a frown. "You lost your chance."

Laxus only took to staring at his son who was crying loudly once more. As Mira rushed off to go get cleaned up so they could head out, Laxus only took him over to the sink, to wash him off.

"Maybe you're not so bad, kid," he grumbled softly as Lisanna went to help her sister and Elfman went back to his pancakes. "At the very least, we seem to be on the same side."

"Are you talking to the baby?" Elfman frowned over at him. "Laxus?"

"Shut up, Elfboy," he grumbled as Nathan only called out for Mira once more. "You don't get it. And you never will."

"Ever says that to me about a lot of things too," he sighed.

When Mirajane returned, she took Nathan in her arms and took to comforting him as they headed out. Laxus felt rather awkward around her, as she'd more or less go from yelling at him and being mad at him for keeping the kid to wanting him for himself.

Women were confusing. And demons even more so.


	14. Chapter 14

Parenthood

Chapter 14

After being chewed out by Porlyusica about how they were bothering her too frequently and over nothing, as well as that the child wasn't a part off Fairy Tail technically and she wasn't required to do anything to him, she told them that he was fine. All they needed to do was keep him hydrated and make sure he got plenty of rest.

"That was a waste," Laxus grumbled as they made it back to his apartment. "I mean-"

"Let's give him some water," Mira sighed as she headed to the kitchen. "And some crackers. Then you can lay down again, huh, Nate?"

"Mira," he whined as she only pressed another kiss to his head. Frowning, Laxus followed.

"So what are we doing, Mirajane? Are-"

"Right now, Laxus, I don't care about me or you. I want to make him feel better. Alright?"

It took awhile, but eventually, Mira did get Nathan down for another nap, curled up in his playpen. Then it was just her and Laxus along with a lot of things that still needed to be discussed.

"Lisanna and I both want him, Laxus," she began as she started on a pot of tea. "You don't. So why-"

"But I do," he insisted as he stood there in the kitchen wit her. "You haven't even given me a chance to-"

"To what? To tell me how you were lying to me, tricking me-"

"I…I get it now," he tried, staring at her. "Why I wanted you here. Why I still want you here. And Nathan. Because-"

"Because you like someone babying you. You like having a woman making you dinner and cleaning your place up," she said, turning to glance at him then. "And you can have that. One of your women would gladly give it to you. I guaranty you that. And they'd probably even pop you out a few more kids, to stroke your ego some. But me and Nathan aren't going to be a part of that."

"But Mira, you're not listening," he growled at her. "I want you. Not one of them. I like this. I like having you here and knowing that when I get home-"

"Well, I don't like it, Laxus. I don't like being treated-"

"I'll treat you however you want to be treated," he said then, puffing out his chest. "Honest. Just stay with me. Here. With Nate. And we'll be just as happy as we were before. You just-"

"I'm not… I don't do that stuff, Laxus."

"What stuff?"

"Guys don't get to sleep with me and then run back to their girlfriends," she said. "It works the same way too. They don't get to sleep around and then come back to me at night. So-"

"I told them all that though," he insisted.

"Told who-"

"That's why I wasn't there when he first started getting sick. Why Bickslow and Freed were babysitting," he said, coming closer to her. He was looking at her with such a serious face that it was hard for Mira to look away. "I went and talked to some people I know. Some…you call them my women, but they're my friends, Mira. And I told them that I couldn't hookup anymore. That I don't do that. That I'm going to try to be with you. If you want me."

"I don't."

"Mira-"

"I don't, Laxus. I don't want to be some sort of experiment to see if you can be faithful. Because you can't. And I don't want to deal with all of that," she said. "I just want Nathan. That's all."

Just like that, his face changed, completely bypassing his usual void one and turning instead into his enraged one.

"You can't do this, Mira," he growled then. "I'm…I'm trying! Why can't you? Huh? We were happy. We went out to do things with the kid, you sang for me, I walked you to work. Why can't we keep doing that?"

"Things change, Laxus. You-"

"No. Not in single fucking day." His breath was coming out in short puffs. "I want you to be my girlfriend, damn it. And I want to do this all right. And I want to keep Nathan and be happy and we'll be fine. Let us be fine, Mira! Why won't you just let us be fine? Huh?"

"Laxus-"

"If you're not seeing anyone and I'm not going to be, then why can't we see each other? Huh?" He shook his head. "You don't have to live here with me. I don't care. We can do it right. I can pick you and Nate up for dates or just you and sometimes I could stay over there or you could stay over here. And we could take care of him together. Honest. And… If you still need money or whatever, if that's part of the problem, fine. He's still my kid. I'll keep paying for you to keep him. Like…child support or whatever. You just have to give me a chance, demon."

She hadn't noticed until that moment, but he'd backed her up against one of the counters and was standing right in front of her. She'd never heard him talk like that and, honestly, she never wanted to again. She knew, of course, that Laxus had to have feelings underneath all of his gruffness and anger, but it was one of those things she'd rather know was there than actually see.

"Laxus," she whispered as he only moved to rest his forehead against hers. That was the most touching they'd done since the whole thing began. "You-"

"It can be day by day, Mira," he went on. "I don't care. But I just… This is the best my life's ever been, with you and Nate here. And I tried to resist it, but… I can't alone again. I don't want to be alone again. Don't make me be alone again."

She wanted to tell him something, but it didn't work. Her mouth didn't. He wasn't Laxus anymore. He was…different. Or at least he was behaving different. And she wasn't enjoying it.

Just then, they heard Nathan start up from the living room and Laxus took a step back, as if being brought back to reality, as Mira made her escape to go check on the child. When he joined her in the living room a moment later, she knew she'd wasted the moment and he'd never be like that again.

"I'm taking a shower," he grumbled as he passed through and headed down the hall. "Take the kid if you want. Or leave him. I don't care anymore."

In the shower, Laxus had his own little moment where he knocked everything off the bathroom counter and growled at anything and everything. Then he stayed in the steaming spray of the faucet for so long that it became cold. He was cold.

Why didn't she want him? Every other woman wanted him. And he didn't even go to the lengths for them that he was willing to for her!

What the hell was wrong with Mirajane, huh? Huh?

After getting out of the bathroom, he found her on the couch, Nathan resting on her chest, as she sang softly to him. Her guitar was at home then and it was only her voice that could soothe him.

"Mama," Nathan moaned at one point. He was tired and hot and his tummy hurt and no one was helping him. All Mira kept doing was giving him water and crackers and making him sleep. Why wouldn't she stop the pain? "Mama."

"Oh, Nathan," Mira sighed as she stopped singing then to give him a few kisses. "I wish you would go back to sleep for me. Please? I want…I want to take you home. But you have to get better first, so we can move all your things there. You wanna go home with me? Or you do you want to find a new family?"

He only snuggled closer to her. "Mira."

"Shhh."

Laxus stayed back in the hallway, frowning at what he saw. Then, slowly, he came further into the living room, only wearing a pair of jeans.

"You think he'd feel better in the bed?"

Mira glanced up at the sound of his voice, glancing over her shoulder to stare at him. "I don't know."

"You can put him in there," he grumbled. "If you want. Is my tea ready?"

"Here. Take him and I'll pour you a cup, huh?"

Nathan liked that even less. Laxus only moved to sit down on the couch as well, though he didn't lay down. Nathan whined for Mira to come back, but Laxus only frowned down at him.

"You gotta get this crying stuff under control, kid," he told him softly. "I'm trying to persuade her here, you know? And you're really putting a damper on that."

When Mira returned, she sat his cup on the coffee table before moving to take Nathan back into her arms.

"You don't want any?" Laxus asked.

"I just want to get the baby to sleep," she said as the toddler snuggled closer to her. "I'm really supposed to be at work right now."

"You're gonna leave me with a sick kid?"

"I said I'm supposed to, Laxus. I'm not going anywhere."

Grunt. Then, "Can we talk again?"

"Laxus, I thought you said that you don't care?"

"I don't. But I need to know if you're going to be all weird now."

"What are you-"

"If you want him, Mira, and you really don't want me, fine. Take him. He likes you," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "But if you're not going to give us a chance, then I'm going to go out the second Nate's well again, get wasted, and probably fuck more women in one night than you do guys in a year. So tell me now if you really don't want to give this a try. It's your last chance."

She gave him a look then. "You know, Laxus, maybe if you stopped trying to sell me on the fact that I would be so lucky to have you, that you're giving up so much for me, then maybe I'd try and hear you out some. But for the record? You're not going to pick up a decent woman if you tell her about all the women that you're turning down just to be with her. I don't care, Laxus, that you told a couple of your so called friends that you don't want to hookup anymore. The proof is in the pudding."

"What are you telling me?"

Nathan was done crying then and Mira only got to her feet, heading over to the playpen to lay him down.

"You can't go one day without hooking up with some random woman and think that's some sort of badge of honor to me," she told him as she gently covered the baby over with a blanket. "It's not."

"What do you want me to do, Mira? I want you. Alright? Tell me how I get you."

"Stop it, Laxus, you-"

"No." He got to his feet too, glaring over at her. "I thought you wanted this too. You liked being over here. You liked going out and doing things together. Just because I wasn't planning on giving Nathan up, that makes it different? That makes it fake? It wasn't fake. I was doing it because I wanted to keep you around. Not just some woman. You. I wanted _you_ here. I wanted to come home to you. And Nathan. I thought… Just give me a chance, huh?"

"Laxus-"

"I haven't felt this way about a woman since…since I was a kid, okay? Since, like, I used to get stupid crushes and shit. I haven't wanted something this badly," he said. "And I didn't want to want you, Mira. I wanted to get rid of you and Nathan. But the longer you stayed the more I…I love it. I love having a little family. A lot. And if I just have to stop sleeping around then, well, I'll do it. I'll give it a shot. I'm not saying that I'm prefect, Mira, I'm not saying that I won't fuck up, but I… If I can try, why can't you?"

She didn't have an answer for him. She didn't want to answer him. But she was sort of stuck, so…

"I don't want to like you, Laxus," she told him, glancing over her shoulder at him. "I don't want to feel this way. At all. You're rude and a jerk and you're nice sometimes, but does being good occasionally overshadow being bad constantly? I thought only doing good made you a good person?"

"I want to be good though. To you. But I have to have a chance to be, don't I? And haven't I been good, while you were staying here?"

"Laxus-"

"I'm not going to beg you, Mirajane. I'm just telling you. I want to be with you." He crossed his arms. "And you more or less just said that you want the same thing. You might not want to want it, but you do. So just… Stop being stuck-up about it. I can't be that bad. Can I?"

He was standing in front of her once more and Mirajane only stared at his chest.

"Laxus," he whispered. "I just-"

"I want you, demon. And you want me too. So who's stopping us from being together? Huh? What is?" He grinned at her, but it was forced. He was still angry. "You won't know until you try. So give me a shot. And if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. But-"

When she kissed him, it was impulsive and Laxus didn't even really have a chance to think about it because just as soon as she realized it, she was backing way, staring at him.

"You can't kiss me and then not give me a chance to kiss you back," he told her before reaching out to grab her chin. "Demon."

She hated all of it so much then as she wrapped her arms around his neck, having to stand up tall as he got his turn. It had been a few months since her last date, much less her last boyfriend, and it was all coming to a head then.

It was true. She admitted it. She hated it, but she had to admit it. She was one of those women. One of Laxus' stupid women.

Why had she even fought it?

Nathan was whining again then and Mira had to tend to him. Laxus was rather put out by that, but only went to sit back down on the couch.

Little brat. Maybe they weren't on the same side.

Mirajane was blushing then as she came to join him on the couch, Nathan in her arms. Taking a seat once more, she said, "If you're going to be with me, Laxus, even if we're just dating, you're not going to be sleeping around with other women. I'm not… I'm not okay with that."

"Okay," he said, nodding his head as Nathan wiggled in her lap. Mirajane only moved to set him in his father's lap.

"And I want Nathan," she said, looking him in the eyes. "He's not going to be, like, a pawn or something. Alright?"

"Alright."

"And-"

"I really want to fuck you, demon."

"L-Laxus!"

He blinked as she actually sounded outraged. "What?"

"I'm not…no. That's not going to work." She took Nathan back. "You can't just say things like that. Especially in front of Nathan."

"But I do."

"Shut up." She got to her feet then and headed into the kitchen. "Just… Let's just focus on Nathan for the rest of the day, alright? And maybe tomorrow, if he's feeling better, we can talk more about us. Alright?"

Grunt. Him and the brat weren't on the same side at all!

* * *

><p>Mira made dinner that night as Laxus walked around the apartment with Nathan, trying to calm him down some. He really didn't seem to like either of them in those moments. Not that there was much they could do about it.<p>

Eventually though, he gave out again, the little toddler did, and fell asleep. Then it was just Laxus and Mirajane sitting at the dinner table, awkwardly staring at one another.

"So…you wanna sleep in bed tonight?"

"Laxus, seriously?"

"What?" He looked back down at his plate. "Just trying to be hospitable, demon."

"You're asking me if I want to sleep with you."

"What? Me? Never." Then he paused, "But that's sort of what I thought this whole thing was about."

"A relationship is more than sex."

"Right. And all the other stuff is what we've already being doing. Taking Nate out to go fishing or to the park. Staying up talking and you playing your guitar for me and him. But now I'm ready to add to that."

"With sex."

"Exactly."

Rolling her eyes, she said, "All you're doing is making me rethink this whole thing."

"So it is a thing now?" he asked, glancing back up at her. "We are? A thing?"

She was looking very pointedly at her plate then as she slowly said, "I will admit that it was fun before. And if you can actually keep from sleeping with every woman in Magnolia-"

"I will, Mirajane. Seriously. I-"

"Okay." She looked up then, right at him. "But you mess up, it's over. Understood?"

"Completely."

After dinner, she went to go check on Nathan and left him to do the dishes. Which, usually, he'd complain about having to do as that fell under woman's work, but considering they were already off to a shaky start, he didn't want to cause anymore problems.

"Maybe I should go home," Mira told him at one point, as the baby slept. "To get my guitar? You know, before he wakes up again."

"I think he's fine," he said from his spot on the couch. "But… You could still sing to me, you know."

"Laxus-"

"You could."

She was standing over the playpen then and glanced back at him with a frown. "We're being too loud. Come on."

He thought that they were headed back to the kitchen, but instead, she led him to the bedroom. The air felt different though than times passed as Laxus went to take a seat on the bed. She only stood in front of him for a moment before slowly sitting down as well.

"If we're going to keep being awkward around one another-"

"You want me to sing to you, right?" Mirajane moved across the bed then so that she was up near the pillows. "Lay down."

He was hesitant though, as he knew her and the way she was. Part of him was worried that she'd just lured him in there to murder him and take off with Nathan or something. Seemed right up her alley.

Slowly though, he moved to lay back against the pillows, right next to her. Then she started.

Her voice was just as pretty a cappella as it was with her guitar. Then again, part of it probably had to do with how much Laxus wanted to screw her. It had been all of a day, after all.

"When do I get a song?" he asked eventually after she finished one. "'cause listening about all the other guys you've been with isn't exactly appealing."

"You want a song?"

He nodded slightly.

"I only write songs about two kinds of guys, Laxus," she said then as she laid on her side, staring down at him. "Ones who I hurt or ones that hurt me. Which do you wanna be?"

"I wanna be special."

"Special?"

"Yeah. 'cause that's what I am. Special." He only stared up at her, trying hard to keep a bored expression. "I'm gonna be the type of guy that you can't help, but to write all your songs about. Because I'm so great."

"Mmmm," she hummed before sighing. "No."

"No?"

"Na-ah." Then, in a way too casual way, she reached out and tapped his nose. "I'm gonna hurt you."

"Are you?"

"Real bad. And you're going to grovel at my feet to get me back when I do it," she said. "Just like you had to today, to get me in the first place."

He'd had enough. Sitting up then, he turned onto his side to glare at her.

"I don't grovel for nobody, demon."

"You grovel for me," she told him. "Or did you forget that a demon can kill a dragon as well as tame it?"

It was instinctual to him, the same way he always was in bed, as he pushed her off her side and flat onto the bed.

"I said I don't grovel. And I don't get hurt."

"Someone hurt you," she told him as he only worked on getting his belt undone. Reaching out, she stilled his hands before doing it herself. "It's obvious. That's why you're so intent on-"

"It's been too long for you, demon," he told her then, making a face. "You're talking too much."

She rolled her eyes. "The way you're acting, all overeager, one would think that you were the one that it had been too long for."

"One day," he told her as he moved to kiss her neck. "You?"

"Mmmm. Months."

"That's a damn shame, demon," he mumbled as he let her up some, so she could shimmy out of her dress. "Damn shame."

"I pity you more than me."

"How so?"

"I care about every guy I've taken to bed, in one way or another," she told him, her eyes shimmering slightly as he reached up to undo her bangs. He'd never said anything, but he found her hotter with them down. "Have you ever even loved a woman?"

"What business is it of yours?"

"Just curious."

"And so what? You love me?"

"I said that I care about every guy I've been with," she corrected. "And I do care about you, Laxus. Or else we wouldn't be here right now."

There was something nice about being cared about. Something real nice. He wasn't sure, but he was pretty certain that he felt the same way about her. That he cared for her. At the very least, he was glad that they'd made it that far. And he was more than ready to see how far they could take it.

Did that count as caring for someone else? Because if it did, then he really, _ready_ cared about Mirajane Strauss. And he hoped to keep caring about her for a long time.


	15. Chapter 15

Parenthood

Chapter 15

The sound was feint and, honestly, Laxus thought about ignoring it. But when it finally registered in his head exactly what was making those noises, he knew that he had to go and get it taken care of before the woman next to him stirred. He only slipped on a pair of boxers when he stood before leaving the room.

"You're on my nerves, kid," Laxus groaned when he got out into the living room to find Nathan sitting up in his playpen, wailing. "You still sick?"

He still felt a little warm when his father lifted him into his arms, making the man frown.

"You don't gotta throw up, do you, kid?" He bounced the baby gently.

"Mira," he moaned.

"If I take you in there, will you shut up? Huh?" Yawning slightly, he carried the boy back with him to the bedroom. "See? Mirajane's right here. She sleeps in here now."

"Mira."

"Don't wake her up, kid," he warned as he moved to lay back down on the bed. "I'm telling you."

Nathan settled out on Laxus' chest as he only stroked the boy's back gently. Mirajane, who was curled up the other way, sighed softly.

"Did he throw up?" she yawned as she rolled over to look at him.

"Nope. Just whiny."

"Mmmm." Reaching out, she stroked the boy's blond locks gently. "Nathan. What's wrong, baby?"

The sheets were only up to Mira's waist meaning Laxus had a pretty good view of her breasts then. She was so focused on the child though that she didn't have time to be bashful.

"You think he's hungry?" Laxus asked.

"No. He's kept down everything I've given him the past few hours," she sighed. "In the morning, I'll see if he wants more. Right now, I think he just woke up alone and it scared him."

"He loves you."

"Mmmm."

Laxus only took to shutting his eyes once more. "It's late. Go back to sleep."

She kept toying with the child's hair though, which seemed to be comforting him. "What happens tomorrow?"

"It is tomorrow."

"Then what happens today?"

"What do you mean?"

"Laxus-"

"I meant what I said, Mirajane. I want to give this a shot," he said, still not opening his eyes. "And if that means moving Nate in with you and I have to come visit or whatever, that's fine."

"But can you?"

"Can I what?"

"Be here alone and without me?" she asked. "And not end up at some hotel with a woman?"

"I'm not a dog, woman," he grumbled slightly. "I can contain myself, yeah."

"Then that's what I want. I want him to live with me and sometimes, fine, we can come over here and hangout or you can come over to see me." She stilled her hand then, resting it against he back of the toddler's head as she stared at him. "If that's what you want. He is your son, you know, not mine."

"Yeah, but he likes you more," he sighed. "Plus, I'm not exactly… No, if we're keeping him, then he's better off with you."

"I was thinking that I'd go ahead and buy him a crib," Mira told him. "Either that or he'll have to sleep in bed with me. Because I don't like him having to stay in that playpen. It's not fair to him."

"Don't get too attached," he reminded gently then. "If his mother ever does come back-"

"He's still your son," Mirajane told him. "You still have rights. If you want them."

Maybe. If the kid didn't barf on him.

Laxus fell back asleep first or so he found out when he awoke. Mirajane was still curled up next to him, on her stomach, and Nathan had flailed out on his chest, drooling a little.

"Yuck, kid," he grumbled, moving to lay him down on the bed with Mirajane before slipping out of it. "Stupid brat."

He left them there in bed as he got up to go shower. His head hurt and, honestly, he just wanted to get the day started with. He figured that after helping Mirajane move all of Nathan's stuff over to her house, he could get some training done. It would keep his mind off the current state of affairs at the very least.

It was while he was in the shower though that he heard the bathroom door open and Mira call out to him.

"Nate got a little messy."

Sticking his head out of the shower, Laxus glared at her. "Did he throw up on my sheets?"

"Your blanket," she said as she carried the little boy over to the sink, where she began washing him off. He was sobbing rather loudly and honestly, it was annoying. "Not the actual bed sheets though."

Growling, he went back to showering. Mira was speaking softly then to the toddler who calmed down some at that. When she left though, she neglected to close the bathroom door.

Fine. She wanted a show? Then he'd give her one.

When he finished with his shower, Laxus dried off before throwing a towel around his waist and going over to the sink to shave.

"Smells like effing puke," he grumbled as he wiped at the mirror some. "Stupid kid."

He was shaving (admiring himself in the mirror) when she appeared in the doorway.

"I have to go home now, Laxus," Mira said as he only turned to glance at her. She was wearing what she had on the night before and looked rather frazzled. "While he's well enough to go. So-"

"Well, wait a minute." He frowned some, dropping his razor. "You can stay for a little, can't you? And let him-"

"I feel…icky," she said. "And I took all my things home, so-"

"Wear something of mine."

"Laxus-"

"You have to stay for breakfast at least," he reasoned. "Come on, Mira. Please?"

"Do you always beg women to stay when the night's up, Laxus?"

He narrowed his eyes at her before going back to shaving. "Fine. Go. I-"

"I'm kidding," she told him with a sigh. "We're going to have to stop being so tense. Both of us. If we ever want it to go back to how it was, at least."

Grunt. Then, after a thought, he said, "I don't stick around most of the time, anyways, for there to be breakfast. So…"

"Then I guess I should feel lucky."

He only sighed. "Take a shower, Mira. I'll watch the kid and bring you something to wear."

He could tell that she was hesitant, but after shaving, he found himself sitting on the couch with his son in his lap as she took over the bathroom.

"You aren't allowed to puke again," he said as Nathan only sat there, resting against him. "So don't try."

He only babbled back to him as Laxus relaxed on the couch with a sigh. The past day or so had felt like the longest in a while. He just wanted Mirajane to make him some breakfast so he could get Nate moved in and go spend some time alone. Away from them.

"I work out a lot, kid," he told Nathan then, as if as an afterthought. "So if ever you need me or something and I'm not there, that's probably why. 'cause that's kinda one of the more important things to me. So don't get offended or whatever."

"Tunny."

"Your tummy?" He only stared down at the kid before nodding. "I get this way when I drink too much. Just let the virus course through your body, kid, and soon enough you'll be good as new."

He only took to sucking his thumb then, letting Laxus gently rub his stomach. At the sound of Mirajane coming into the room some time later though, he put a stop to that.

"You look good in purple," Laxus complimented her as she came in wearing only her panties and one of his button up shirts. "Real good."

"Elf thinks that it's an unmanly color," she sighed as she went to take Nathan from him before going into the kitchen. "So consider yourself completely unmanly. I mean, purple bed sheets, Laxus?"

"Hey, I happen to think it's the sexiest color ever."

"Mmmm." She headed immediately to the fridge as he only came up behind her to peek in as well.

"Damn it, Mira," he grumbled. "You never did get me any bacon."

"There's saus-"

"I hate sausage!"

In response to his yelling, Nathan started to as well, though he thought it was funny. Mirajane just bounced him a little with a sigh.

"Do you want pancakes then, Laxus? Instead of eggs?"

"Guess so."

"Great. Take Nate and go sit at the table, huh?" She handed the baby off. "I really do need to get home and talk to Lisanna. You know, ask her to work for me until Nate gets better."

Grunt. He only went over to the table, keeping the child in his lap as he awaited his food.

"How long do you think that he'll be sick for?" Laxus asked Mirajane as she stared on his breakfast.

"I dunno. But Porlyusica said that it was nothing to worry about and to give it three days, so I guess until then, we shouldn't worry about it. Just keep him fed and hydrated."

Laxus only looked down at the little boy with a frown. "You think that he'll like living with you?"

"As compared to what? Living here with you? Yeah, I think so."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just that I have an actual house, Laxus," she told him. "With a yard and more space."

"Didn't you mention something though about how you were strapped for cash? With, like, bad plumbing and things?"

"I got the sink fixed awhile ago," she told him. "And Elf got a new bed. But I'm hoping that now that he knows that I plan to take Nate, that him and Ever will realize that yes, they are dating and that they move in together so he can have his own room."

"You need a new house."

"I can't afford to move, Laxus."

"Hmmm."

"You could always move into a bigger apartment," she said slowly then. "I mean, if this works out, he's going to know you as his father, right?"

"I guess so."

"So he'll want a room at your place, yeah?"

"I guess."

That was a lot more than he wanted to think about, honestly. He mostly had just wanted to get Mira in bed and go from there. She was, like, planning for more than just the day and that wasn't remotely close to the way he was feeling. He didn't even like to think about what he was going to eat for dinner that night, really. It just kinda…happened. Everything. The only things he planned for were, well, jobs and schemes.

"But…what would that make you?" he asked her then, slowly.

"What do you mean?"

"If I'm the dad-"

"Which you are."

"Then you're-"

"I'm Mira," she told him. "Aren't I, Nate?"

"Mira," he mimicked. "Tunny."

"Does your stomach still hurt, baby?" She glanced back at him. "I'm sorry. You probably got sick thanks to Laxus."

"Me?"

"You."

"What did I do?"

"You're around more people than I am," she said with a shrug. "He probably got germs from you."

"Yeah, right. You're the one that has him up at the guild all the time with all of those disgusting losers." He shook his head. "This was probably your fault."

"Hardly. And besides, you have to build up his immune system," Mira went on. "If he never gets sick then-"

"Don't make excuses. You did this."

"Uh-huh. I think that we should probably discuss instead how you were just _so concerned_ when you brought him to my house."

"Don't change the subject."

"You don't change the subject," she retorted. "You were scared that he was sick. You know that you were."

"No," he said, frowning. "I knew that if it, like, died then you'd blame me."

"Don't start calling him an it again, Laxus," she warned. "Seriously."

He only grunted. "So what if I don't want him to be sick? I just don't want to have to shove a fucking lacrima down into him. Is that such a bad thing?"

She glanced over at him then before shaking her head. "I'm sure it's not hereditary, Laxus. You were just born with a weak immune system. That's all. I mean, Makarov and Ivan weren't sickly. You just needed something to strengthen you and you got it."

"In a roundabout way, yeah, I did."

After breakfast, Laxus helped Mira get most of Nathan's toys and all his favorite ones packed up in a duffle bag to take over to her house. Then she put back on her dress from the day before, denying his request of him just finding her some jeans or shorts that fit.

"I get it," he grumbled. "You like wearing my stuff, but you don't want anyone to see that you're wearing it."

He walked her to her home, but left her on the doorstep, helping her get inside before taking off. He really, really didn't want to have to deal with either of her siblings. And there was this creepy dog up the front porch that seemed to have been waiting for her that made Laxus frown.

"You have a dog?"

"He's a stray," Mira said simply as she walked into the house, Nathan snuggled up in her arms and the duffle bag on her shoulder. "I just feed him."

Laxus only frowned as the dog headed right into the house, Mira only shutting the door after he was in.

"Some fucking stray," he grumbled, turning to head away. Mirajane only went to put Nate's stuff in her room as well as set the toddler down.

"Lisanna, are you home?" she called out, her dog coming to rest on her bedroom floor. Nathan immediately moved to start petting it with a giggle. "Elfman? Huh. I guess it's just us."

Nathan was done with her then though as he focused most of his attention on the fact that the dog had taken to licking his face. With a sigh, Mira set out on unpacking Nathan's bag, moving space around in her dresser as well for the few sets of clothes that he had. It was really setting in then.

She wasn't babysitting anymore. She actually had a toddler to deal with.

"Maybe I sorta didn't think this through," she mumbled as she glanced down at the little boy. "I mean, I don't even admit that I have a dog most of the time."

When he felt her eyes though, Nathan glanced up at Mira and giggled, smiling brightly. He hadn't thrown up since he first got up that morning and seemed to be doing better. At the sight of him actually happy about something (who didn't love animals), she found herself smiling too.

Who cared? So what if she didn't think it through? She liked taking care of Nathan. She likes being around Laxus. And if she could work both those things into her life, why not? It's not like she was ever overly indulgent.

Just then, she heard the front door open and close as well as the heavy thuds of her brother coming in. Smiling, she called out for him.

"You're home?" He appeared in the doorway with a grin. "And hey, you have the kid."

"Uh-huh. Laxus and I worked it out," she told him. That brought Elfman's grin down some.

"You did, huh?"

"Yeah. I'm going to be keeping him for now and Laxus…" She didn't know what Laxus was and only said, "He's going to be involved too. I mean, it's real tentative currently, but it's the way it is."

Elfman stared at her real hard for a moment before turning to head off for his room. "Whatever makes you happy, Mirajane."

"Whatever makes me happy," she agreed. She could get used to that.

* * *

><p>"Still unsure why he gets to live here when he hasn't even taken the decency to learn my name."<p>

"Lisanna," Mira sighed as she stood over at the stove, staring on dinner. "Honestly?"

"It's not fair. I mean, what has Evergreen ever done for him?"

"Everyone likes Ever," Elfman, who was busy chopping vegetables for his older sister, said. "It's just natural."

"Yeah, right, Elf," his younger sister said as she continued to roll toy cars around on the floor with Nathan. He really liked that. "Everyone's afraid of your girlfriend. No one actually likes her, but you. And maybe Freed and Bickslow."

"She's not my girlfriend," he grumbled, glancing back at Lisanna. "So stop saying that."

"Why? You get embarrassed?"

"Knock it off, guys," Mira sighed as she continued…whatever exactly it was that she was doing. Lisanna was mostly staying far away from that part of the kitchen in hopes they didn't ask her to help. She'd spent all day at the bar and the last thing she wanted to do was prepare more food. "I'm not in the mood for fighting."

"You're just afraid that I'll say something about your boyfriend," Lisanna mocked. She was in a real sour mood that day. "What's his name? Oh, I think Nathan calls him Daddy."

Mira was done. She honestly was.

"You know, Lisanna, coming from someone that's in love with a guy that doesn't even give her a second glance-"

"Mira," Elfman groaned.

"I hate you!"

Ugh.

They were usually all far better put together, but then they got to days like that when just nothing went right. Literally nothing. It was probably because they were all three in such good moods most of the time (except for when Elf was crying about…well, anything really). So when Mira found herself falling back into old, mean-spirited habits, it usually led to Elfman being too discouraged to stop the inevitable. Because if Mira was in a mood, then Lisanna was going to be in one too. And then what had just happened was right around the corner.

"You have a thousand other digs are your disposal, Mira," Elfman sighed as he just kept chopping vegetables. "And you had to say that?"

"I haven't had the best past few days, okay? And she was being a brat for no reason," Mira complained, glancing over her shoulder. But Lisanna was gone, her bedroom door slamming not soon after. "It's not like she wasn't being rude to us first."

But she was Lisanna. And Elfman and Mira were never mean to Lisanna. Not after they nearly lost her.

"I'll go talk to her," Mira sighed, stepping away from the stove. "Watch Nate. And feed the dog, huh? He's out in the backyard."

Elfman only agreed with a sigh. After Mira had headed off, he went over to Nathan and bent down to stare at him.

"You'll learn soon enough, kid," he said, patting him on the head, "that when the two of them fight, there is no easy fix. You picked the wrong time to drop in. It'll take another week for Mira to make up with Lisanna after that-"

"Fine!" they heard then. "I'm trying to say sorry, Lisanna, but if you're going to be like that-"

"Go back to Laxus' apartment! We don't want you here!"

Nathan giggled as Elfman only rubbed his head then.

"Gonna be a long few days," he sighed. "Glad to have you around. I'm usually the only man in the house- Not that Mira's not manly though! She's super manly. More than anyone I know! But I just meant-"

"Elfman!" And she was back, apparently. He and Nathan both looked up, the little boy giggling while the man only paled, his skin almost matching the tone of his sister's then. "Did you feed the dog yet?"

"N-No," he said, standing up right once more. "I was just-"

"And how about the vegetables? Have you finished chopping those?" Mira's eyes were so dark then that Elfman almost just ran out the backdoor. In fact, after a few more seconds, he broke.

"I'm staying with Ever for the week," he said before rushing out of the room. "Sorry, Nathan. You're on your own, kid."

His sister only narrowed her eyes after him before walking further into the kitchen.

"Mira?" Nathan titled his head back, staring up at her. Then he giggled. "Kiss?"

Slowly, she leaned down to press one to his forehead.

"I think," she told him with a sigh. "That you're the only one that appreciates me."

He only giggled. "Potty."

Or he was. Then he went and did that and landed himself squarely on the list with the others.

When Laxus showed up at her door two hours later, Mira was even less in the mood to deal with him than she was anyone else.

"What?" was her greeting as she stood in the doorway of the house, staring out at him.

"Uh…hey," he said. "I thought…I don't know. Was I not supposed to come here?"

With a shrug, she took a step back. "But just so you know, apparently I'm a major jerk to Lisanna and have never done anything for her anyways, so I might as well just leave the house even though it's my house and-"

"Yeah, this is why I just fuck women and not spend any actual time with them."

"Laxus."

"You make dinner?" He came further in, taking a look around. "And is your freaky brother home?"

"Don't call him that," she warned and her tone was low to start off with, making Laxus only nod his head. So mark joking around with Mira off the list of things to do.

"Where's the kid?"

"In bed."

"Oh." He nodded towards the kitchen. "So you save me a plate or-"

"Oh, so what? You think that it's okay to have guests over without mentioning it to anyone?"

Lisanna was there then, in the hallway, sending daggers at her sister right off the bat. The girl had nerves of steel, Laxus would give her that.

Or, maybe, she was just stupid. She had gotten knocked in the head pretty hard by Elfman that time…

"Considering it's my house, Lisanna, yes, I think it's fine," Mira said, glaring right back. "And I thought you weren't coming out of your room because-"

"You were being mean to me, Mira!"

"You started it!"

"So…is there food in the kitchen? Yeah? Good. I'll be in there." Fielding that one before they started, like, crying or something, he headed into the kitchen with a long sigh.

Why had he thought it was a good idea to go to Mira's? Huh?

In the fridge he found some leftovers, which he immediately went about heating up. He'd spent most of the day training, blowing off all the steam that he had held inside for the past few days. It felt really good too, to be out there alone in the forest, away from Mira and the brat. Even away from the Thunder Legion. They were great and everything, don't get him wrong, but sometimes Freed was a tad much. And those dang dolls…

He was busy eating when Lisanna stomped into the kitchen, Mirajane right behind her.

"Sorry," she shot at him through a glare, "for being rude to you. You're a guest and…"

"And?" Mira prompted.

"And I should treat you like one."

He blinked. Then he burped.

"Ew!"

"Laxus!"

Geez, women were so touchy.

"Bring me a beer," he grunted. "And I'll think about forgiving you, Lisanna."

That got him a look from Mira which immediately made him drop his eyes back down to his plate. Alrighty then. No beer for him.

Eventually Mira found herself seated at the table with Laxus, waiting for him to finish eating, while Lisanna trudged back to her bedroom, apparently not wholly made up with her sister yet. It was whatever to Laxus though, as he'd gotten his meal and was ready to get out of there.

And fast.

"The baby okay here tonight?" Laxus asked her as he went to drop his plate in the sink. "Mirajane?"

"He'll sleep in bed with me."

"Is he feeling any better?"

"I think so. He's kept everything down so far."

"Then…should I just go? Or should I, uh, do something?" He glanced over at her. "I'm not too sure."

"Did you want to stay?" Mira asked.

"Really?"

"Well," she said slowly. "Your blankets at home are covered in vomit."

He blinked. Then he frowned.

"You're cleaning those in the morning, Mirajane. I mean it. You're going over there and you're going to-"

"He's your son too."

"Still. Puke is nasty. I don't do nasty."

She only got to her feet then. "Did you…wanna come to bed with me then?"

When he nodded, she smiled slightly, forgetting all about how her and Lisanna were fighting.

"I'll warn you though," she said as they headed out of the kitchen. "In the morning I don't think that there's going to be anything of mine for you to wear."

"Ha ha."

"And the walk of shame is so much more embarrassing for a man, I hear."

"You think you're real funny, demon, don't you?" He reached out then and, as they were so close, he was able to wrap one of his arms around her neck, pulling her back to him as they stood in the hallway. "Huh?"

"I-"

"Ew. Gross."

They both frowned as one of the doors in the hallway opened and Lisanna was standing there.

"I might have to be nice to him as a guest, but if I hear him screwing you, Mira, I'm-"

"Lisanna-"

"Fair warning," she told Laxus as she walked passed them and over to the bathroom. "And I wonder what Elf will think when he gets home to find a naked Laxus in your bed?"

"You are about to get it."

Laxus only shook his head though.

"This is why I don't like being around other people," he mumbled to Mirajane as she only led him to her bedroom.

"She's just mad at me," she sighed. "She'll get over it."

Nathan was there, snuggled up in the center of the bed, pillows on either side of him to keep him from rolling off. Mira only went to move them before going into her adjoining bathroom. Laxus looked after her, but she just shut the door.

With a groan, he went to take a seat on the bed, moving the pillow back to the head of it.

"Looks like me and you aren't rid of each other yet, kid," he whispered as he pulled his shirt over his head after setting his headphones on the nightstand. "Huh, Nate?"

Mira only smiled when she came out off the bathroom to find them both in her bed, just standing there for a moment.

Maybe it would all work out. She sure hoped so.


	16. Chapter 16

Parenthood

Chapter 16

Days passed and slowly, Nathan began to get used to staying with Mirajane. He liked it a lot, actually. There was the doggy and Elf and Lisanna and he got to play in the yard. Mira even had a little section of her garden bed that she let him dig in. She told him that eventually, when she got some more money, she'd buy him a sandbox.

He really liked living there.

And Laxus came over to visit a lot. Either that or they went to his apartment. Then, sometimes, and Nate really hated these times, Laxus would come over just for a second and then Mira would leave with him. And they just forget all about him it seemed! He'd cry and Elf or Lisanna would try to calm him down, but it was no good.

How could Mirajane and Laxus leave him behind?

They'd come back, of course, and Mira would usually bring him a little treat, a cookie or piece of cake. Even dinner sometimes. And he'd forgive her, of course, and let her snuggle him, but he always wondered where they went. Didn't they care about him? Miss him? 'cause he did them. Err, well, her.

Sometimes though, he just didn't want to be there anymore. He didn't want to Mira or Laxus or Elf or Lisanna. He just wanted to go home. He wanted his mama.

In those times, Mirajane would snuggle him and sing to him and promise to never leave him. He'd only scream for his mother until he fell asleep, typically feeling much better when he awoke. And the longer he stayed with Mira, the more he got used to it and sorta forgot about Mama or his home.

He was actually pretty happy.

Not that Mirajane and Laxus' relationship was going as well as Nathan's readjustment period was. It mainly stemmed from the fact that, honestly, Laxus' life was changing very quickly. He couldn't stay out and drink all night because he knew if he got too drunk, he'd more than likely wake up in a hotel room, knowing that he just lost everything. Which meant cutting out the only fun he really had in his life.

Not that being with Mirajane and Nathan wasn't fun. Because it was. They did all sorts of things together. He'd take them shopping or fishing (Nate really did like that one) and they'd usually end the night by going to eat somewhere. Either that or he'd hang around the guildhall more than usual, watching the kid as Mirajane worked.

And boy, did they get it from the guild.

Or, well, she did. No one rightly wanted to tease Laxus about anything. Not to mention, a lot of the guys were actually sort of jealous. And the women would only snicker, mostly taking to bothering Mirajane about it.

Not that he cared about any of them. He had bagged the hottest woman in the guild. Let them all be jealous. They should be.

Makarov though told him flat to his face that he didn't like what he was doing to Mira and that he should think about someone other than himself for once. Talk of that mostly just got eye rolls out of Laxus as well as him telling him that the man had wanted him to keep his son; now he was. So what was the problem?

There were actually a lot of problems. Like the fact that Mira didn't exactly want to hookup as much as Laxus. At all. She worked a lot and didn't have much fee time. And the free time she did have mostly got wasted on the kid.

It was annoying.

And Mira was annoyed with him too. A lot. Like how he would say he was going to show up at a certain time, but not show up. It could be hours some times. Then there was the way that he seemed so dissatisfied with everything. He mocked her siblings, berated the other guild members, and flat told her that he hated the dog.

"It growls at me!"

"He doesn't know you yet."

"Mira-"

"He's just protective."

"He likes the kid."

"Well, who wouldn't like Nathan?"

"What are you trying to say, demon?"

The fights went on and on. Between the sheets was good though, the few times he actually got her there. He'd never had any real doubt about that though. Mira had always been a little naughty, so he always figured things would go fine between them.

And, boy, did they.

It was just…not enough.

He wanted it to be. He really did. He wanted to be content with Mira. He wanted to like his life. But…

It was a hard adjustment was all.

Still though, it was Mirajane…

As the days turned into over a month, he found himself truly loving being around her. Practically loving her.

He loved her.

Ha.

Then it happened.

"Where were you last night?"

Laxus frowned as he came into the Strauss house through the backdoor, immediately going over to Nathan, who was playing with toys on the floor, and patting the kid on the head.

"What are you talking about?" he asked Mira, glancing at her. As always, she was preparing breakfast, right on time. He'd usually eat in the mornings and evenings over there, no matter what. "Mirajane?"

"Where were you?"

"How do you know-"

"Where?"

"I…I went out for drinks with some-" He stopped then, glaring over at her. "How do you know that I wasn't home?"

"I just do."

Elfman, who was seated at the kitchen table, suddenly became very interested in the newspaper, unfolding it quickly and staring intently at something. Laxus narrowed his eyes at that.

"Ever. Ever fucking told Elfboy and you-"

"No cursing," Mirajane said as she went back to scrambling the eggs in the pan. "And no being mean to Elfman. You were the one that-"

"I don't have to tell you everything."

"No, but when you're hiding something-"

"I'm not hiding anything," he growled. "I went out for some drinks with some guys and some-"

"With the women you used to sleep with."

"Mira, if it's always going to be like this-"

"Then leave, Laxus. Go." She was scraping some of the eggs off onto a plate then and bringing it over to Elfman. "I don't need you and I don't need this."

"Mirajane-"

"Laxus." Nathan was looking up for him then, holding his arms out to be picked up. "Hung'y."

Huffing slightly, he bent down to pick the child up before going to take him to the table.

"I didn't sleep with anyone, Mira. I just… I'm bored, alright?" He scowled at Elfman when he glanced over the paper at him. "I'm not used to this. And I-"

"And what? You want to-"

"I want to do things, okay? Not just either have to take the kid out to play or hang around with you. I- Mira."

She only slammed the coffee cup down in front of him just the same as she had done the plate of eggs.

"I am _not_ someone that gets played, Laxus," she said simply. "If you want to go out and hangout with your friends, fine. But if you've seen them naked or they've seen you naked, they aren't friends anymore. They are people that you're not allowed to be alone with. Agreed?"

"No, Mira. That eliminates every woman I know practically."

"Except Ever," Elfman added as he sat the paper down. When Laxus only stared at him, he frowned. "Except Evergreen. Right? Right? Laxus? Right? I mean-"

"I haven't slept with fucking Evergreen," he grumbled then when Mirajane gave him a look. "She's fucking ugly."

"Laxus-"

"Hey!"

When he took to growling Nathan giggled, snuggling up against him with a grin. He thought that Laxus was funny most of the time what with all of the sounds that he made and such.

"As long as I ain't sleeping around, Mirajane," he grumbled, "what difference does it make what I do?"

"The difference it makes, Laxus, is whether you'll be with me or if I break up with you. And that's all that you need to know."

She was a tough one. And an annoying one. But she was his one. There were sacrifices for having a family, he figured. And that just happened to be one.

* * *

><p>"You spend a lot of time here now, boss."<p>

Grunt.

"And you make us stay too."

"Do not," he grumbled. "I'd actually rather that you weren't here."

Bickslow frowned, his babies floating around his head in a frenzy regardless. "But Freed said-"

"I would just rather us be here," Freed said, bowing his head then. "We shall remain as close to Laxus as he allows us!"

He rolled his eyes before turning them down to the little boy in his lap, who was happily eating his lunch. It was true. He spent far more time there than he'd like, but it kept Mira from nagging him about his whereabouts and Nathan from being bored all day.

Ugh. He was becoming, like, a mature adult or something.

"Mira," Nathan giggled as she walked by, refilling beers. "Mira."

"She's working, kid," Laxus grumbled as the boy only bounced in his lap. "So shut up."

"Your kid and my babies should be friends," Bickslow told Laxus, like he usually would. "Hey, babies, you-"

"No," Laxus told him, just as annoyed as ever. "Your damn dolls stay on that side of the table. Nathan don't need to be bothered by those creepy things."

"Aw," the dolls whined as Bickslow only frowned.

"You're real mean today, boss."

"Laxus," Nathan giggled as he glanced up at him. "Hung'y?"

It was demeaning to him, the way he had to lower his head then and open his mouth, letting the child feed him. That entertained Nate for some reason. He did it every time he ate. He wanted to feed Laxus. No one else. Sometimes Mirajane, but that was just because he loved her so much. Maybe he thought Laxus didn't eat enough?

"It means that he likes you," Mirajane would always say. "And that he wants to share with you. So whenever he tries to feed you something, you better take it, Laxus. I mean it. I don't want you to discourage him from being kind."

The things that he did for Mirajane…

After work that day, Mirajane drug Laxus and Nathan on a long, boring shopping trip. And by shopping, he meant for groceries. Even Nate got bored, riding up on Laxus shoulders as he hunched forwards so that he could rest against his father's head. Honestly, Laxus was just glad that he didn't see anyone he knew.

"So when are you leaving on this next job, huh?" Mira asked him as they finally headed back to her home. "Laxus?"

"I was going to take one in the next few days," he told her as Nathan, who had been shifted to the ground, toddled along between them, one hand clasping Laxus' jeans and the other gripping tightly to Mira's dress. Their arms were full of groceries, both of them, so they couldn't hold him or his hand. He didn't like that, but sometimes you just had to make do. "Why?"

"I was just wondering," she said. "I mean, shouldn't I be allowed to know when you're going to be gone? I am caring for your son."

She had so many stupid rules like that. He hated them all. He was a free spirit. He went where he pleased. He didn't check in with nobody. Not since he was a boy. And even then, the second he felt old enough, he stopped telling Gramps where he went. You know why? Because he was a man. And men didn't have boundaries. They did as they pleased. He did as he pleased! He-

"And I was thinking about making you a big dinner when you got back," Mira went on. "Nate really likes helping me cook and, I mean, I could make it while you're gone, but you just eat so much that it'd be a shame to have a huge dinner without you."

"Great. So my eating schedule depends on whether or not the kid wants to help out?"

"I just meant that when you get back, I'll take the day off and let Nate help me bake and cook and stuff, Laxus," she told him. "Not everything needs a smart remark. Sometimes you can just agree or say thank you. It doesn't make you less of a man or something."

"Mira," Nate called from between them. Then he babbled something that Laxus didn't understand at all, but she seemed to get perfectly.

"We'll be home soon," she told him. "And hey, when we do, maybe we can…hmmm. What do you wanna do, Laxus?"

Grunt.

"Maybe grumpy can take a nap, Nate, and me and you can play by ourselves, huh?" She grinned down at him making the toddler snicker and wiggle around. Laxus didn't understand the affect she had on the kid, but it was strong, whatever it was.

At the Strauss house, he only flaked out in Mirajane's bed as she and Nathan went to work putting the groceries away. By which he meant Nathan played with his toys in the kitchen while she did most of the work. But that was fine with Mirajane. She liked doing things like that.

Err, so Laxus assumed. She never complained much, anyways.

"Laxus."

He frowned as Nathan came toddling into the bedroom, pushing through the open door with ease.

"What do you want?"

He only headed right over to the bed, holding his hands up to be picked up. Narrowing his eyes at him, Laxus slowly moved to lift him up.

"I'm reading, see?" Laxus held up one of his books that he'd brought over to Mira's house. "About places far away from here. Far away from you. So you can see, kid, why I don't exactly want to be around you just this minute. Or any minute."

"Laxus." He only snuggled up against his side, yawning slightly. "Nigh-nigh."

"No, dummy. It's not time for bed. I'm _reading_. Not sleeping. So shoo. You won't go to bed tonight if you take two naps today."

He only babbled some before closing his eyes, forgetting all about the fact that he hadn't eaten dinner, taken his nightly bath, or that Mirajane wasn't there to sing to him. He was such a brat.

"Mira," Laxus called. "You lost something. Mirajane-"

"You know, as a guest, you could learn to use your inside voice," he heard from the hall as Lisanna walked by.

Though she'd long made up with her older sister, she was not giving up on her distaste for her new relationship. It had been a fun thing to tease her about, but having to actually put up with Laxus Dreyar? No, thank you. Evergreen was bad enough when she was around, but with Laxus filtering in and out of the house, Lisanna just knew it was only a matter of time before they became the meeting place for the Thunder God Tribe, what with one member there so frequently and the man they were guarding constantly napping in the backroom.

Laxus knew better though than to get into it was Lisanna. It was one thing for him and Elfman to butt heads. They were two males, for one, that were suddenly having to share not only Mira's time, but as well as a house a good portion of the time. With their two big personalities that just didn't mesh, arguments were bound to breakout.

But Lisanna? Oh, no. He might rib her a little or complain about her in small ways, but he'd never have a full blown argument with her. For one, he actually kinda…well… He still thought of her as that cute little kid that used to run around the guildhall and, yeah, he'd felt a little bad when she died. More importantly though, Mira had always been overly protective over her. With that two year gap thrown in, she was completely committed to keeping Lisanna happy at all times. He liked to think that he was important to Mira, if only a little, but something told him that there was nothing he could do to ever overtake her baby sister.

Nothing.

When Mira appeared in the doorway a few minutes later, she only grinned at the sight of them in bed together.

"Aw," she crooned as Laxus rolled his eyes. "He loves you, Daddy."

"Don't call me that. And it's not time for bed. So-"

"So let him rest until it's time to make dinner. It won't hurt anything."

"He might not want to go to sleep later though."

"And? You're not staying tonight, are you? So what difference does it make to you?"

He only grunted as she came to join them on the bed. Nathan was on his other side, near the edge, so Mira reached over him to snatch the child up and lay him between them, bothering Laxus who was trying to read.

"I came in here for peace."

"That's one thing that you'll never get in this house," she told him. "I thought that you knew that, Laxus?"

Grunt.

She just giggled before reaching over to the nightstand and grabbing her headphones, which she slipped on.

"You sleeping too?" he asked as she settled into the bed.

"No. just resting," she sighed. "Working all day the bar isn't easy, you know."

"I know."

"But if I do fall asleep-"

"I'll wake you in two hours to start on dinner."

"Thank you."

But he didn't. She was sleeping so peacefully after one hour that there was no way he could bring himself to ever get her up, especially not if it was just to make them all food. So he went around the house, making sure that Lisanna would be eating (she complained at him when he knocked on her door and when he asked her) and Elfman (he had had tentative plans with Evergreen, who cancelled last minute, leaving him a sobbing mess, insisting that he was fine and that real man could handle rejection. Then he headed out to get them all food.

When he arrived home with takeout, Mira had woken up at some point and was really happy with him. So happy that he thought maybe he would score that night…until he remember that Nate was still very much so around, ruining everything once again.

"You know, kid, if it wasn't for you that I was here anyhow, I might just hate you," he grumbled softly to the toddler at one point that night, who insisted on sitting in his lap at dinner.

"Aw, poor Elf," Mira said about that time as they sat around the table, all of them, (not) her dog even hiding under the table, waiting for scraps. "Why'd she cancel?"

He only sat there, head down as he stared at his plate. "I dunno. She just… I love her so much! And when I told her that this afternoon, she-"

"Wait, wait, wait." Lisanna gave him a look. "You told the woman that won't even admit to dating you most of the time that you love her?"

"Well, I do."

"But-"

"If he loves her, why shouldn't he say it?" Mira asked. "I think that's cute, Elfman."

Laxus snorted. "It's not cute. And you probably scared her off. Then again, it's not like Ever has a lot of places to go-"

"Evergreen is amazing," Elfman told him with a glare. "And I do love her. And I want to marry her."

"Yay! Wedding."

"No, Mira," Laxus said as Lisanna choked on her food at her brother's confession. "Not yay. No wedding. The woman is scared to even say that she occasionally has dinner with him. If he goes and tells her that he wants to marry her, she might never go on a date with him again."

"But-"

"We might be too late for that," Lisanna said, cutting her sister off as she stared at Elfman. "You already told her that. Didn't you?"

"Well, it came along with the love confession, yes," Elfman said as Laxus only shook his head.

"Learn from this, kid," he told Nathan. "Never turn out like Elfboy over here, huh?"

"I still think that it's sweet," Mira said. "You and Ever belong together." Then, in a softer voice, she added, "And you really need out of this house…"

"What do you even like about her?" Lisanna asked then with a slight frown. "She's really rude and mean and bossy and-"

"I like all of those things. I love them. How could I not?" Elfman shook his head. "Ever is everything. And now…now I've ruined it!"

"Elfman," Mira sighed, staring at him with sad eyes. Laxus only shook his head and went back to his dinner.

"Before you, Ever used to screw these really, really rich guys with, like, committed relationships and shit," Laxus told him as Lisanna choked on her dinner again, that time more from trying to hide her laughter. Mira only sent him a strong look, which he pretended not to see. "You're the only guy that she's been with that actually likes her for more than, like, fucking. So don't worry about it. She'll hate you and your confession for a few days, be embarrassed to hang around you, but then she'll probably realize how much she misses you and will be crawling back to you. On her hands and knees. Literally. She's a fucking sex addict, swear."

"Laxus!"

Elfman blinked. Then he nodded slightly. "You mean what you said? About the knees?"

"I'm done." Mira stood up from the table as Lisanna about spit out her food that time. Going to pick up Nathan, she said, "I'm glad that you guys are friends-"

"We're not friends."

"Ew, gross, you're going to make me vomit."

"-but this? This isn't appropriate dinner conversations. We can talk about the weather or our feelings or-"

"I think that Ever being horny is a feeling," Lisanna said making Laxus laugh and Elfman have his turn to choke.

"So done," Mira complained as she headed out of the room, Nathan waving goodbye to all of them from over her shoulder. "With all of you."

But she wasn't. She had to come back and do the dishes eventually because there was no way that any of them were doing them. Elfman was in mourning, Lisanna was dying of laughter, and Laxus had went out and got the damn food. What more did she want from him?

"Thought you weren't staying the night?" Mira asked him when they both found themselves in her bedroom. He'd spent most of the night outside, sipping on a beer and throwing around a stick with the dog. It wasn't so bad, as it was turning out. So long as you were giving him attention. Maybe he was warming up to him.

"I didn't plan to," he whispered softly as she sat there on the bed, guitar in hand, as she still played softly. Nathan though, who was snuggled up in the middle of the mattress, seemed to have been passed out for awhile at that point. "But I thought that after hearing about Ever tonight, you'd take some hints and agree to give me head in the shower."

"Okay, I didn't want to do this, but now we are." She moved to set her guitar to the side as she stared at him. "I didn't think that I'd really have to address your vulgarity, but apparently, you don't know what's appropriate and what's not. Me and you? We can joke around. But I'm not…one of your friends. Not the type that you think you have."

"I was seducing you."

"Ew. If that's how you…don't. Seriously. Not to mention, Laxus, Nathan is right here."

"He's sleeping. And he doesn't know what I was saying."

"I don't care," she said as she got to her feet, still glaring at him. "That's another rule. You can't-"

"Rules, rules, rules. You think that this is all fun and games for me? Huh? I'm just…" He only shook his head. "Fine, Mira. If you don't want me here tonight-"

"I never said that. I just said that you have to put a leash on your mouth."

'You don't like me when I'm being mean to your brother, you don't like me when I'm making him feel better. What do you want from me, woman? I got you dinner. I stayed up at the guildhall. I played with the kid. I made Elfman think that he actually had a chance with Ever when, let's face it, she could do way better."

"Laxus-"

"I'm at a loss here, babe," he said, patting his chest. "I'm trying hard, but you don't seem to be very happy with me."

"I am happy with you, Laxus. I just-"

"Then you could try telling me that sometimes. Do you know that this is the longest I've ever been faithful to a woman since…since ever! And you don't care. You just nag me about one thing or the other. I-"

"Laxus." She was over there next to him then, reaching out to take his hands into hers. He only glared back though. "I'm really glad that you're trying for me. That you're changing for me. I am. I think…I think it's amazing that you want to be different for me. For Nate. But-"

"But you keep picking about small things."

"But, you can't talk like you're in a bar in front of the baby. And really, I'd rather not hear half the things that come out of your mouth either."

"I guess I could…try and…not talk about sex so much. If it really doesn't help seduce you any."

"It really doesn't." She let go of one of his hands, reaching out to pat his chest gently. "But you know what does?"

"Hmmm?"

"How you went out and got dinner," she said. "Or went and played with the dog. And cheering up Elf? That was great. Still vulgar, but I'm glad you did it."

"…What are you trying to tell me here?"

"Being good to me or my family? That's really attractive, Laxus," she said. "Okay? I like when you're nice. When you're good. Not when you're being a jerk or trying hard to seem unbothered by anything. That's not interesting to me. At all."

That was different. So what? She was going to, like, be expecting him to constantly do good things? To be well behaved? Hmmm. That didn't sound like much fun.

"Now come on," she said then, turning to walk away, over to her adjoining bathroom.

"Come on and what?"

"I thought I heard something about a shower," she said, glancing back at him. "Or would you rather sit out here and-"

"No," he quickly moved to follow her, knowing that all it took was the kid even so much as making a noise to ruin the moment. "Not a single thing I'd rather do."


	17. Chapter 17

Parenthood

Chapter 17

"What are you doing in my living room?"

Bickslow blinked, staring at the Lisanna, as she'd just walked into the room from the hall.

"I'm babysitting," he said, nodding over to where Nathan was busy playing with his blocks as the man's dolls flew around his head, singing and laughing. Lisanna only frowned.

"And Mirajane or Laxus didn't think that it would be a good idea to mention to me that you'd be here?"

"I think they didn't want you to feel like they always asked you to baby-sit or something," he said with a shrug. "So they asked me. Don't know what the big deal is."

"The big deal is that no one-"

"Well, don't yell at us about it," he said. "Me and the babies didn't do anything."

"Didn't do anything," his dolls agreed, though they only continued to fly around Nathan. "Lisanna."

She only gave him a look. "Well, I'm not in the mood for guests, so-"

"I thought you were always nice?" he asked from his spot on the couch. "I mean, you've only ever been nice to me. Why are you being so-"

"What difference does it make?"

"Okay." Bickslow only went back to staring at the kid. "Never mind."

He listened then as Lisanna walked through the living room and into the kitchen. The second she was gone, he only checked the nearest clock for the time. Mirajane and Laxus were supposed to be back soon, which he was glad for. If she was in a bad mood, the last thing that he wanted was to be stuck with her. He knew Lisanna on a very basic level, one lower than he knew Mira even, and something told him that there was something a matter with her. Not wanting to get stuck in a fight with the boss's girlfriend's sister, he figured the sooner he got out of there, the better.

When the front door opened, he was hoping to find Mira or Laxus, but instead, it was Elfman and Ever.

Bleh.

"What are you doing here?" his teammate asked with a frown. The hand that had been interlaced with one of Elfman's she immediately shook, as if to get him away from her. Yeah, like he hadn't noticed that. "Bickslow?"

"I got stuck watching the kid," he said. "Freed's out on a solo mission and you weren't around. Apparently though, you were screwing Elfman, is what you were doing, which totally isn't a viable excuse, just so you know."

"That is not-"

"Don't you talk to my woman that way!" Elfman scowled at Bickslow as Ever only hit his arm.

"I'm not your woman! I thought we went over this!"

"Elf," Nathan giggled as they walked passed him. "E'er."

"Ear," Bickslow's dolls repeated. "Ear!"

"He said Ever," the woman in question told them with a frown. "And cut it out. It's bad enough when you mock Bickslow."

"They don't mock me, Evergreen," he told her with a frown. "They love me so much that they hang on my every word. Not that you would know what that was- Oh, yeah. You got Elfman!"

"Shut up!"

"You're not allowed to be rude to me in my own house!"

"What are you guys yelling about?" Lisanna came back in from the kitchen then, a cup of coffee in her hand as she held the other to her head, as if she had a headache. "Be quiet. Why do you all need to be here anyway?"

"I'm trying to come home and unwind after being yelled at all night," Elfman complained as he stepped as carefully as a man his size could over all of Nate's toys, spread across the living room floor.

"Yelled at, huh?" Bickslow's tongue fell from his mouth. "What was she yelling? Your name? Or someone else's?"

"I am going to kill you," Ever hissed as she headed over to the couch, her arms wrapped around herself. "Seriously, Bickslow, get out of here."

"Nah-ah," he said, shaking his head. "Not until the boss man gets here and sees that I did an a-okay job at watching little boss man."

"You're so stupid," Lisanna said, frowning at him. "Just leave. Like Laxus is so important or something."

"Bad mood, sis?" Elfman patted her on the head as he left the room, no doubt headed to his own. "You and Ever can talk about it. And bond! Like men! Err, women. But-"

"No thanks," Lisanna said, turning to slip by him and further down the hall.

"Yeah, not happening," Ever said as she only made it over to the couch and began hitting Bickslow in the head. He only took it though, grinning.

"Can't hurt me! I got a helmet of- Hey, no fair," he cried as she only pulled his helmet from his head. Jumping up, he tried to run away from her. "Ever-"

"Are you going to do something?" Lisanna asked Elfman as she headed into her room. "About them?"

"I'm going to kill him if he lays a hand on Ever," he said, going into his own room. "But until then? No. I'm really tired."

Ugh.

By the time Mirajane and Laxus arrived though about an hour later, Ever had run off Bickslow and his dolls before retiring to her (not) boyfriend's room, dropping Nathan off with Lisanna on the way.

"How'd you end up with him?" Mirajane asked her sister when she entered her room to find the little boy napping on her bed. Lisanna was over at her desk though, looking over a spell book. "Lisanna?"

"Ever scared Bickslow, he ran and left, then she and Elfman went to…do whatever in his room."

"Ever's here?"

"Mmmhmm."

"Mira," they heard then. "I'm taking off, alright? Your dog is giving me really weird stares. And if he bites me, I totally take that as an initiative to shoot a bold of lightening through him-"

"Go," she called back to him with a groan. "Will you be back for dinner?"

Belch. Then, "No."

"What are you doing tonight?"

"What business is it of-"

"What, Laxus?"

"Training. A lot of training."

"Okay, well, see you tomorrow, I guess."

"For breakfast," they heard then, the sound of the door slamming right after.

"Peachy."

"Lisanna." Mira went to pat her in the back of the head. "What's up with you the past few days, huh?"

"I don't know."

"Are you sad that Natsu and Lucy went off on a job, huh? And haven't been back all week?"

"What do I care?"

"And that Levy's spending all her time with Gajeel and you're just _so_ lonely."

"Shut up, Mira."

"I know! I'll get you a boyfriend," she said as she went to pick Nathan up.

"No thanks."

"No, I will. Who do you l- Oh yeah."

"Mirajane-"

"Well, I don't think I can break up Natsu and Lucy without feeling horrible about it," she said slowly.

"I never asked you to!"

"But I totally can get you someone just like him." She bounced Nathan slightly as the child awoke. "Swear."

"Don't want a boyfriend."

"Yeah, but…I want you to have one. So…you're going to have one."

"Mira, get out."

"Alright, alright." She winked at her. "I need a day or two to get it all ready, but by the time I'm through, you're going to have a super hot, funny, amazing, nice, caring boyfriend. I mean, I know a lot of guys. And a lot of male models! You're in good hands, Lisanna. I just wish that you had asked sooner."

"I didn't ask anything."

But it was too late, as Mira was already out of the room and, honestly, Lisanna was just done with the whole thing. She only got up to lock her bedroom door. Anything to keep all of them out…

* * *

><p>"I made a horrible mistake."<p>

"What?"

Laxus only shook his head as he and Mirajane walked into the bar a few afternoons later. "I accidentally made _that_ happen again."

He was nodding over to Evergreen and Elfman, who were seated at adjoining tables, making a very pointed effort of not looking at one another. Mira only elbowed him as Nathan, who was walking between them, started calling out hi to all of the people he knew.

"Be quiet, Laxus," she said before reaching down to pick up his son. "Just don't cause any problems today, okay? I have something in the works."

"Why does that not make me feel good at all?"

"It doesn't have to do with you at all," she said.

"Good."

"Just behave, alright? I invited some...friends to stop by at certain points today."

"Friends, huh?"

She only nodded as he headed off to go sit at the same table as Freed and Bickslow. "And they're sort of male so-"

That stopped him. Then, glancing over his shoulder, he said, "What?"

"Laxus-"

"Mirajane-"

"They're not for me," she hissed at him as she followed him, just to keep their conversation down. "They're for Lisanna."

"So you haven't-"

"Ew, gross, no. I wouldn't want my sister to be with a man that I've been with, would I?"

Still, he thought about it for a moment before shaking his head.

"Whatever, demon. You better not be lying to me."

"Just watch Nathan today, huh?" She handed the child off to him, much to the little boy's disappointment. He liked Laxus, he thought that he was funny sometimes, but he really would rather be as close to Mirajane as possible at all times.

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled, finally able to take his seat.

"What's up with your girl, boss?" Bickslow asked as Freed, who was going over some sort of map for a job that the Thunder God Tribe would be going on in the near future, only greeted him. "She-"

"She's about to get her ass handed to her by Lisanna," he grumbled as Nathan settled out in his lap.

"What do you mean?"

"What do you mean?" the dolls insisted.

Shaking his head, he said, "If this all goes down how I think it is, you'll see soon enough."

It should be stated that, though he kept his meetings and interactions with the other two Strauss siblings to a minimum, Laxus had noticed a lot about their interactions with Mirajane that he'd only seen glimpses of before. Like how Elfman acts totally devoted to his sisters in public? That was no front. He literally was that way. Mirajane could probably tell him to jump off a cliff and he'd do it, if only he thought that she'd love him eternally for it.

Lisanna though…

She really seemed to _love_ both her siblings, but in the past few weeks, her and Mira had seemed to be at odds. Of course, she was just as perky with Elfman as always, seeing as she always found his antics and over exaggerations of their day-to-day events as cute. With her sister though, she seemed to be more…distant.

And Laxus didn't think that it was him. Not really. It seemed more like Lisanna was using that as a scapegoat though, complaining frequently about how often he was around and about the fact that the original plan to take Nathan had been a family thing, not involving Laxus at all. He could tell though that something else was bothering her though.

"Oh, no, she's just jealous of you," Elfman said one day after Lisanna yelled at him while Mira was out at the store, about how he'd drank all the coffee and not refilled the pot.

Grunt. He did that whenever he didn't want to talk about something and, for the record, Lisanna Strauss was the last topic Laxus wanted to hear about. Other than, like, Elfman and Ever's relationship. Shiver. And to have any conversation with Elfman about anything wasn't fun.

"She gets that way about all of Mira's boyfriends," the overly muscular man went on as he cleaned up around the kitchen, per Mirajane's instructions.

Another grunt.

"She really likes the _idea_ of Mira dating, but the second she actually has a boyfriend, one that Lisanna sees as cutting into their time together, she gets all-"

"Could you shut the fuck up?" Laxus had grumbled as he only mixed some more cream into his drink. "I'm trying to enjoy my coffee here."

"Real men drink it black!"

"And what, Elfboy, would you know about real men?"

From there, the conversation just dissolved into yelling and their usual bravado whenever Mirajane wasn't around, so Laxus was drawling a blank on how the rest went down.

He did gather one useless piece of information from that little snippet of his time in the Strauss household. Lisanna hated when you drank all the coffee. And, since he was never allowed directly to fight with her, he frequently would dump half a pot down the sink every morning when no one was around, just to piss her off.

You know, keep things fresh.

Also though, Laxus knew something else. Just from hearing random parts of talks Mira and her younger sister had when they were in good moods, he found that Lisanna had the hots for the Salamander. Which would have disgusted Laxus, did he not know the blonde one was all over that too.

"What a waste," he'd frequently find himself saying whenever he'd see Lucy and Natsu together. Then he'd remind himself that he was with Mirajane and getting with that not only would lose him his own woman, but then he'd have the Salamander's sloppy seconds.

Gross.

And when Mirajane's first 'friend' arrived that day, the change in the bar was almost pliable. He was clearly one of her model friends which made Laxus suspicious and jealous and…and…

Gah! What was that woman doing to him?

The women though were all over that, suddenly gravitating towards the bar to talk with Mira as he sat up there, holding a conversation with him.

"What's he got that we don't got?" Bickslow complained. "They never all swarm me. This is unjust! I mean, seriously, what?"

"An interest in women," Freed said with a roll of his eyes. Laxus only shook his head.

"And in your case, numb nuts," he told Bickslow, "he don't got fucking dolls hanging around and a god-awful mug accentuated by a hideous face tattoo."

"Harsh, boss."

"Harsh," the babies agreed, hanging close to their father, as if to comfort him.

Mira's plan was backfiring though because Natsu and Lucy just so happened to get back from their job that day, which meant the Salamander was up at the guild, blowing all his cash on food for him and his stupid feline.

Man, if there was something to be glad about being a second generation slayer, Laxus figured, it was that he didn't have one of those stupid cats. He'd have probably strangled his anyhow.

"Oh yeah," he grumbled when he looked down at the kid in his lap. "I got a brat instead."

And a dog. Err, a 'stray' as Mira put it. She was so full of it.

But with Natsu being back, that meant his girlfriend was too. Which usually was enough to keep him busy, but she'd been just like most of the female members and taken to fawning over Mr. Male Model, much to Mira's dismay, as that left Natsu open.

She was nothing, if not persistent, Lisanna was. And faithful. Because she spend her time with the pink haired idiot and his cat, narrowing her eyes at her sister whenever she passed.

It was kinda funny, really.

Except for the fact that Laxus knew he'd hear about it and Mira's anger over her lack of making a match later that night.

But other than that, it was hilarious.

"You sure have quite a few _friends_ passing through today, Mirajane," Erza commented dryly at one point, eyeing her suspiciously, after the fifth guy had come and went, him and the second having paid special attention to her in particular. "Anything special?"

"Why?" Mira was defeated at that point as she only wiped down the bar. "You mad I didn't invite Jellal?"

"I don't know what you're-"

"They were for Lisanna," Kinana giggled into her palm as she stood by as well. "But she didn't seem too interested, did she? In any of them."

"No," Mirajane sighed as she stared down at the bar. "She didn't."

"Why wouldn't she have been?" Lucy asked as she only sat there with Levy, still giggling about how the last guy had just been so involved in everything Erza had ever done. "They were all super cute."

Mira looked over at where her sister sat with Natsu and sighed. Shrugging slightly, she said, "I dunno. I thought so too."

"Better not have," they heard then as Laxus approached the bar, his son in his arms. The appearance of him was enough to make Lucy and Levy scatter, both back to their respective boyfriend. And Levy her other boys too as Jet and Droy were none too happy with her either, braving being around Gajeel's table (he usually told them to scram, threatening them with force whenever she wasn't around), just to say so.

"I was just being courteous, guys," she said, blushing slightly as the Iron Dragon Slayer only rolled his eyes, Lily snickering from his spot atop the table. "Seriously."

"What difference does it make to you bozos anyhow?" Gajeel grumbled, glaring at them.

"There's seriously nothing to talk about," Levy kept insisted, more to Gajeel then. "I-"

"Who's talking, but you?"

He seemed unbothered, but that was just because he wasn't as stupid as Droy and Jet. He already had the shrimp. And he wasn't losing her. Didn't matter who walked through those guildhall doors.

"Ay, Lucy," Natsu greeted as she rejoined their table. Lisanna smiled at her as well. "You meet all Mirajane's friends?"

"Uh-huh," she said. "They-"

"Were any of 'em looking for a fight?" he asked, flexing. "'cause you should have called me!"

"No, Natsu," she sighed as Happy only giggled. "They weren't."

"Were they there to replace Laxus?" the Exceed asked, as if hopeful.

"No," Lucy said. "They, uh, well-"

"I already know," Lisanna said with a roll of her eyes. "She wanted me to, like, date one of them, didn't she?"

"Well-"

Natsu shook his head. "Why would you want to date one of those guys anyhow, huh?"

"W-What do you mean?" she asked slowly as Lucy eyed him as well.

"None of 'em even knew magic!" He shook his head. "What would be the point of you dating some guy if I don't get a new fighting partner, huh?"

"Yeah," Lisanna sighed, knowing she had been foolish to ever get her hopes up about his last statement. They were in front of his girlfriend anyhow. "What would be the point?"

"They were really nice though," Lucy told Lisanna, as if being helpful. Sometimes though, she had to question the other woman's motives. Lucy had to know that she…didn't she?

But they were friends. Weren't they?

It was all just a big, worthless mess.

Mirajane wholeheartedly agreed.

"That was a waste," she told Laxus as they headed home that night, Nathan snuggled up in her arms. "I mean, all I got to see was Erza being awkward with two guys that were out of her league-"

"Why are they out of Erza's-"

"Because I say so, Laxus!"

Okay, so Mira was in a bad mood. He only shook his head though.

"Why do you want Lisanna to have a boyfriend so badly, demon?" he asked as Nathan snored softly. "I mean, really?"

"I don't know. Elf had Ever-"

"Most of the time."

"And I have you-"

"For now."

She sent him a look, letting him know that his jokes were not appreciated.

"I just want her to be happy."

"Maybe she is," he said with a shrug. "And maybe she isn't. Either way, you can't force her to be."

"I guess so."

"And besides," he said, not believing that he actually cared that much to have the conversation to begin with. But alas, there he was. Gah! The demon was affection his whole mindset. "I'm sure she'll end up with someone. Maybe even Natsu, like she wants."

"Maybe," Mira mumbled, forlorn over the fact her plans had gone astray. "Maybe."

* * *

><p><strong>Late, but I really didn't know what to write about until about an hour ago, so…at least you got something tonight, right? <strong>


	18. Chapter 18

Parenthood

Chapter 18

"How do you even teach a kid to… I mean…" Laxus frowned, staring over at Nathan, who was seated on the living room floor, playing with his toys. "How do you teach a kid that suddenly, peeing in their diaper isn't cool? That something they've done since the beginning of their existence isn't alright?"

"I dunno," Mirajane said as she sat next to him on the couch. "I thought that this would kinda be, you know, a father-son thing. Not involving me at all."

"It does involve you, Mira," he said. "I mean, this isn't an overnight thing. He's going to have to, like, be taught that this isn't okay."

"Mmmm…still seems like a Laxus and Nathan thing to me."

"Wrong."

That was the beginning of their foray into potty training.

And it was horrible.

"Can't he just, like, stay in diapers forever?"

"No," Mira told Laxus whenever he asked this.

"Then can we give him to someone else to keep for, like, five months? Until he gets this whole potty thing under control?"

"Laxus."

The kid was just pure stubborn. And confused, mostly. He didn't seem to like the idea of using the potty at all! Laxus tried to make it sound great, but hey, he saw the kid's point of view. Why take care of your own waste if you had someone else to do it?

That wasn't the only thing that was changing though.

"This is a first," Laxus grumbled as they walked around the empty apartment.

"What?"

"I've never looked at a place with…with someone else. A woman," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "It's just…different."

"It's not like we're moving in together, Laxus," she assured him. "It's just best if you go ahead and move. You know, give Nathan more space. And it's still an apartment. All yours. Just…some of his too. Now."

So the second his lease was up at the old place, Laxus found himself relying on Bickslow, Freed, and Elfman to help him move all of his stuff into another, two bedroom apartment.

"Better," he reminded himself frequently. "It's better this way."

And he bought Nathan a little toddler bed to go in the extra bedroom, so that he had his own space to sleep. Ever was so happy that Laxus was moving (she saw it as a chance for her to empress him with her redecorating skills, yeah right) that she even splurged and bought the kid some things too.

"What are you trying to do here, Evergreen?" Bickslow complained once as he and Freed had to move the dresser she'd bought into the kid's bedroom. "Trying to one up us?"

"No," she said, making a face at them as she stood in the center of the tiny bedroom, instructing them exactly where to place the dresser. If she and Elfman hadn't gotten into a fight earlier that day, she'd have far preferred him there, lifting it all on his own, looking all sweaty and eager and…

Not that it made her…hot or something! Gross. She'd never get turned on by watching him…masterfully….and effortlessly move things around.

Because that would just be crazy. Ha. Crazy. And disgusting.

"This is just fun for me," she said as she had them drop it in exactly the right spot. "Is it not for you guys? Getting to redecorate? I love it! If I didn't just love everything that I've done with my apartment currently, I'd go redecorate that too."

"What is this decorating you're talking about?" Bickslow said, tongue falling out of his mouth as he stepped away from the dresser to admire his work as well, his babies taking to floating about the room. "You mean all this stupid time you're taking out to make sure that everything matches?"

"Yes, stupid."

"It's such a waste! Me and babies just buy things on the cheap and are just as happy as we would be if we had you as our cruddy decorator."

"That's because you, Bickslow, are a simple minded, idiotic individual."

"I'm really starting to lose the appeal of having you on our team," he said, facing falling then. "I mean, you're mean to me, don't show up for practices because you're with Elfman-"

"I'm starting to lose the appeal of having _you_ on the team," she volleyed back. "What exactly do you add?"

"The comic relief, Ev-er," he said, breaking her name apart for show. "I mean, really, do you know nothing?"

"Me? You-"

"Would you all shut the hell up?" they heard then from somewhere else in the apartment, the words falling out of the mouth of their idol. "And get out if you're just going to argue!"

"I-I was not arguing, Laxus." Freed hurried from the room. "Honest, I wasn't!"

"Whatever," they heard him growl as the two of them also hurried along. "One of you bring me a beer! There should be some in the fridge!"

And that's how Laxus, who was laying on the bare mattress in his room, staring up at the ceiling, found himself with three beers and three very, very concerned followers.

"You totally abuse them," he heard Mira say from over by his closet where she was putting away his clothes.

"Totally," Lisanna complained from the adjoining bathroom, where she was trying to get the shower curtain hung. And why would she be helping Laxus out? Mainly because she wanted him out of her house, where he seemed to have been taking up more residence than usual. She was hoping that if they got him all moved in to his new place that he and Mira would see how much they loved it and just stay away from the house.

Not that she wanted to lose Mirajane though. But if they were a packaged deal, well…

She couldn't take him drinking all the coffee anymore! And Lisanna was fairly certain that the majority of the coffee was being poured down the sink by him. She had no solid evidence, but she was pretty sure.

"Laxus," Nathan giggled from his spot on the mattress, where he was playing with some of his toys, staying out from under the feet of all the others. His father only patted him on the head.

"If there's anything Dreyar men know how to do, kid, it's to have other people do their work for them," he told the child approvingly, to which Nathan only giggled.

"Not to ruin this moment or whatever," Mira spoke up as she glanced over at the bed. "Because I find it completely cute-"

"Already ruined," Laxus grumbled. "Just from saying that."

"-but get up. I said you could see if you like where the mattress is. Not that you can take a break," she said, sending him a glare. "Do you think that we're all just here to serve you, Laxus?"

"Well-"

"Get up!"

Ugh.

It took some time, but eventually, Laxus found that he really liked his new place. Other than, like, the fact that Mirajane brought a bunch of her stuff over or that she'd practically commandeered his bathroom with a barrage of hair and body products. Oh, and none of those women knew where he lived anymore. So he didn't get letters or whatever. Which was good. He guessed.

"It's kinda like," Bickslow said one day as he and Laxus hung out at his place, drinking beers, "you're all grown up now."

"What are you talking about?" he grumbled. "I've been grown since I was-"

"I mean that it's like you're a real adult now," he corrected. "You got a serious apartment, a serious girlfriend, and a kid. You're so cool, Laxus."

He rolled his eyes at the whole thing, but especially the last part. "You're drunk."

"Maybe," he agreed. "But it's still cool."

"What was cool was when I could have as many women as I wanted, whenever I wanted, and didn't have to worry about shit," he grumbled. "Now I have to make sure I have money for the kid or be around when Mirajane needs me. It's bullshit."

"But you chose it," Bickslow pointed out. "You didn't have to do either of those. But you still gave up the other things, just to have this. And that's what makes it cool. Because you're happy. I wanna be happy."

He blinked. "You're annoying when you're sober and when you're drunk."

"I do," he said. "And clearly you did too. That's why you did all this."

"No," he said. "I did all this to sleep with Mirajane Strauss."

"Yeah, and you did that," he said. "A lot. But you're still here. Because you-"

"Shut up, Bickslow. And get me another beer."

"Of course, boss!" He jumped up to do so, taking his empty one to throw it away as well. "On it!"

His babies were dormant then, laying on the coffee table, and Laxus could tell that Bickslow was disappointed that they weren't there to repeat him. He really did love his stupid dolls. Or at least the souls inside of them.

And when he went to bed that night, Laxus found that he didn't like it either. When Mira wasn't there to nag him about the fact that he'd stripped naked right next to the bed, leaving his clothes littering the ground. When Nathan wasn't around to sing to sleep, having to suffer through that intolerable song Mira thought he liked so much. Or when he wasn't there, waking them up in the morning, whining about his breakfast or about having to go potty (he was starting to understand the whole not pooping your pants things, slowly, but surely).

So maybe Laxus was happier as it was than he had been before. He'd never really assessed it, but he was living life without sleeping around pretty well. But he didn't think if Mirajane and Nathan were suddenly subtracted from his life that he'd be able to go on. They were a part of his whole routine.

He loved them.

"I do," he told himself that night as he laid in bed, all alone. "I really, really do."

Huh.

* * *

><p>"What's wrong with you?"<p>

"What are you talking about?"

"You're not, like, yelling at me or nothing," Bickslow said as he sat at the kitchen table in the Strauss house, awaiting Laxus. He had headed off to the bathroom and, after he got out of it, they'd be going down to the guild together. "Every time you find me here, you yell at me."

"I just want some cof- Damn it," Lisanna yelled as she found the pot still warm, but empty. Mirajane and Elfman had already taken off for the guildhall and she knew that neither of them would have done that to her. "Laxus!"

She just got a loud belch in response. Nathan, who was waiting on the kitchen floor for his father as well, playing with his toy cars, giggled.

"What?" Bickslow glanced back at her. "What's wrong?"

"He drank all the stupid coffee."

"And? Just make some more."

"I shouldn't have to make some more," she grumbled, though she set out then to do so. "But thank you, person that's not even supposed to be here, for telling me how to living in my own house. Thank you so very much."

"You're welcome."

"You're welcome!" his dolls sang, floating around the room in excitement. They thought that Lisanna's loud voice was out of joy, not out of anger. Boy were they wrong. "You're welcome!"

"Could you, like, contain your freaky dolls?"

"They're not freaky," he told her. "And you should really lose your attitude. 'fore I possess you, huh?"

She turned to glare over at him then, eyes dark. "I dare you."

He only blinked, eyes hidden behind his sallet. "You need to chill the hell out, kid. I was making a joke. I-"

"I'm not a kid!"

"Okay, so you're unbearable when you haven't had your coffee." Getting to his feet, he quickly went to pick Nathan up. "We'll just wait in the living room."

"Living room," the babies cheered, chasing after him. Lisanna only glared for a long time at the doorway to the kitchen, even though he was long gone. Then, slowly, she let out a breath and went back to making coffee.

When she finally made it down to the guildhall that day, she had a few words for Mirajane, never rightly losing her peeved attitude.

"I am tired, Mira, of having to share my house with your stupid boyfriend and his even stupider friends. I'm not going to do it anymore!" Lisanna stared her down as she approached the bar. "Either they stop coming around or I'm moving out."

"Wh-"

"The brat makes an excellent point," Laxus spoke up from where he was seated at the bar, drinking a mug of beer. Nathan was in his lap too, sipping on a juice box, and giggled when the man spoke. "I-"

"I'm not a brat," Lisanna insisted.

"-want you and the kid to move in with me," Laxus kept up, speaking right over Lisanna then. "Mirajane. Not you, brat."

"I'm not a-"

"Wait, what?" Mira had been trying to fill a mug with beer, but stopped then to stare at them.

"Move in with me," Laxus repeated.

"Or just get him to stop coming around the house," Lisanna reasoned. "I like that option much-"

"You can't move out!" Elfman was further down the bar, seated with Ever. Apparently they were having one of their good days, as she didn't seem to mind that one of his hands had found their way to her thigh, where it rested. "Either of you. What would I do with the house? All alone?"

"You can have the house," Laxus reasoned. "And the brat can go live in a dumpster."

"I'm not a-"

"Laxus." Mirajane heard that last part and frowned. "Behave."

He only made a face. "But he can have the house. And you like the apartment. It's big enough for both of us." He patted Nathan gently on the tummy. "All three of us."

"I," Mirajane began, but didn't know where to go. She looked to Lisanna then who was still glaring at Laxus. When she felt her sister's eyes though, she glanced at her.

"What?"

"What would you do?" she asked slowly. "If…if I moved out?"

"I thought we all just agreed that you can't?" Elfman called over to them. "Don't leave me out of something again! I was fine when you didn't consult me about the dog or about Laxus or the kid, but the house? This time it directly affects me!"

"I don't know," Lisanna said, tuning her brother out as she only stared at Mira. "Do you…want to move out?"

"Well, apparently you don't like our current arrangement."

"I don't like _him_," she said, gesturing to Laxus who only scowled in response. "And Mira, I know now that he has to be the one that's pouring the coffee down the drain. There's no other place it could possibly-"

"I resent the accusation," Laxus grumbled. When Mira glanced at him, he said, "I mean, I'm not denying it, but-"

"I-I have to think about this," she told them then. "Really, I-"

"You don't have to think about anything," Elfman had stood then as Evergreen only frowned at him. "You two can't leave me! What would I do without you?"

"Uh, try live as a grown man who isn't dependant on his sisters?' Ever hissed at him. "Now sit!"

"Actually, he's right," Makarov spoke up from his spot atop the bar. "You don't have to think about this."

"I don't?" Mira asked, frowning over at him.

"No. Right now you have to work," he insisted, stressing the last word. "You have a job to do, Mira."

Laxus rolled his eyes. "Be quiet, old man."

"I can't take it, Ever," Elfman was sobbing then as he took his seat once more. "I can't live without my sisters!"

"Well, I think that only one of them was going somewhere, so-"

"Still. Mira and I have lived together our whole life," he cried. "What would I do without her? She's such a man. She makes practically all my decisions for me. How would I know what to wear in the morning if she didn't wash it for me?"

Ever blinked. Then she stood up.

"And you just ruined any chance at us working out," she said before turning to head over to the Thunder Legion's usual table. "Nice going, idiot."

"I'm not an idiot!"

Mirajane just got back to work, as she had a lot of tables to bus and drinks to refill. There really was no time for her to be worrying about silly things that day.

"I hate you," Lisanna told Laxus then before turning to walk away. He only rolled his eyes though and moved to turn up his headphones, unlatching one of them to put it on his son's ears.

"They're all fucking crazy," he told the child who only giggled, patting the man's cheek when he leaned down. "Maybe we should just cut and run."

Makarov didn't open his eyes then and look down on his grandson. Didn't make any notion of even caring about what he and Mira had just discussed. But inwardly he was…proud wasn't the word. He was rarely proud of Laxus. But… Maybe he wasn't all bad.

Maybe.

* * *

><p>"I just don't get what there is to think about," Laxus complained as he and Mirajane laid in bed that night. "I mean, you either want to or you don't. And if you don't, that's fine, but-"<p>

"You were the one, Laxus," she started as she laid there, all snuggled up in the blankets and him, trying to keep warm, "that told me when you bought this place that I was only a guest. That-"

"And now I've seen the error of my ways," he told her. "I know that I want you and Nathan here. I-"

"But what changed?"

"Nothing changed, Mirajane," he told her. "I just-"

"Well, your feelings obviously did."

"Obviously."

"So why?"

He only laid on his back, staring up at the ceiling, not knowing really what to say. It had taken a while to get Nathan down that night, as it almost always did when he had to sleep in his big boy bed. He didn't like being left all alone in there. Not at all. And if he hadn't planned, and delivered, on banging Mirajane that night, he'd have let the poor kid sleep in bed with them.

"He has to learn, Laxus," Mira had scolded him. "He can't always get what he wants. Not to mention, he's safe in here. Nothing can get him. And he has to learn that. He's more than old enough to self comfort."

"…Apparently we have two very different definitions of what self comfort means."

Then she'd hit him in the shoulder. "Behave."

Regardless though, the kid eventually fell asleep and Laxus found his way back into his bed with Mirajane. And after all was said and done, he also found himself having said conversation.

"I don't know," he was telling her then. "And if I did, what difference would it make? I want you guys here with me now. I want you here with me always. Isn't that what you wanted?"

She hesitated then. "Elf and Lisanna-"

"They're both grown. And I think that Lisanna needs to get knocked off her high horse anyways," he grumbled. "She's been a real-"

"Have you really been pouring her coffee down the drain every day?"

"Define every day."

"Laxus-"

"The point is," he cut her off. "She and Elfman both will be just fine on their own. Seriously, Mira. You can't baby them forever. You have a real baby to think about now."

"Yeah, you."

"Mira-"

"I just know you, Laxus," she said. "And I know me. I've never taken this step with a guy. And I know you never have with another woman. If this all blows up then-"

"Did you ever think, Mira, that you've never taken anything this far with another guy because you weren't supposed to?" He just kept looking up at the ceiling, listening to the clock by his bed tick. "That you were just waiting for me? That I was waiting for you?"

Groaning, she said, "You want this now, Laxus, but-"

"And if I don't want it later or you don't want it later, no harm, no foul. Just like our whole relationship. Lisanna and Elf will take you back into the house and I can go back to my life with ease."

But they both knew that wasn't true. Because it would hurt Nathan. Very much. It was like they were constantly changing his home. His mother, then to Laxus' apartment, then Mira's, and now another new place?

"It's been what now?" he asked. "Nearly six months? Since we first… And I think that I'm ready. Aren't you?"

She didn't know. So she only laid against him, eyes shut, and weighed all the possibilities in her head.

"I just need more time," she told him eventually. "Really, I-"

"Fine," Laxus sighed then, shutting his eyes. Smiling slightly then, he added, "Take as much time as you want, Mira. I'm not going anywhere."

And he wasn't.


	19. Chapter 19

Parenthood

Chapter 19

"See? If we moved in with you, we'd lose this."

Laxus only glanced at Mirajane before tossing the ball gently to Nathan who giggled, nearly catching it, but still missing. He only picked it up though before bringing it back over to his father, who was seated on the porch steps. Then he ran back into the yard, waiting for it to be thrown again so he could chase it.

He was like a freaking dog or something.

"We would not," he said as she sat there next to him, watching the child as well. "We could still come here. It's still-"

"I think that Elfman and Ever are going to end up in it together and Lisanna's going to be put out," Mira told him. "If I move out."

"Really?"

She nodded slightly. "I'll help her find an apartment or something. Or she could go to Fairy Hills. Not that Elfman's going to want her to leave, but if Evergreen moves in-"

"Yeah," Laxus sighed. "Who would want to live with that?"

Mira only sighed. "I just…I don't know, Laxus. You said that it didn't all have to be decided now."

Grunt. Nathan was coming back to them then, handing the ball back to his father before waiting for it to be thrown again. The kid enjoyed the most repetitive of things.

"I think that it's nice how it is now," Mira told him. "You know, you come over, stay the night, or we go over there. Why change it?"

He shrugged slightly. "I'm locked into that place for at least six months."

"And maybe," she said slowly. "I mean… We keep acting like to move in together, I'd have to go to you. But maybe, if Elf and Lisanna both leave within those six months, then we could live her. Together."

Shaking his head in response, Laxus said, "It's whatever you want, demon."

When Mirajane went down to the guildhall that day, it was without her boyfriend or his son, as Laxus was going to head back to his place with Nathan. He'd be taking off in the next few days for a job and she figured that he wanted to spend some alone time with the boy.

Not that he would ever say that. Or that she would ever expect him to. It just went without saying.

"Hi, Lisanna," Mira greeted when she arrived to find her sister working. "Is Kinana not here?"

"I told her to take off," Lisanna said as she stood behind the bar, looking bored. "There's nobody around anyways."

"You can leave, if you want," Mira offered then. "I'm here now."

"There's nothing to do."

"There has to be something."

"No," she sighed as her sister joined her behind the bar. "Nothing."

Mirajane smiled at her. "You could always scrape gum off the bottoms of the tables if-"

"You know what?" Lisanna turned to walk off, around the bar before heading to the door. "Just remembered something."

"Uh-huh." Mira giggled though, waving goodbye to her.

Lisanna had just left the hall when she ran into someone. Literally.

"I'm so sorry," she began to apologize. "I just-"

"It's alright, kid." It was Bickslow, standing there, grinning at her as his babies only fluttered around, repeating his words like normal.

"It's alright, kid," they chirped as Lisanna only made a face.

"I was looking for ya," he went on, tongue falling from his mouth. Then he held out the thing that he had been holding to his chest. "This is for you."

She blinked, staring at the box, glancing at the visual before frowning. "Why would you-"

"It's a coffee pot, see? But it only makes one cup at a time. And it's real quick about it to," he said, nodding his head. "ME and the babies saw it and though, wow, Lisanna could use that."

"But why would you buy it for me? I mean-"

"As an apologetic gesture," he said, tongue wagging the whole time.

"What are you apologizing for?"

"I dunno, really," he said slowly, grin dropping some.

"Dunno," his dolls sang. "Dunno."

"But I do know that you've been super angry at me recently," he went on, just standing there, holding out the box as if waiting for her to take it. "And sine you're, like, the baby's aunt and I'm, like, Laxus' best friend ever-"

"Hardly."

"-I think that we should learn to get along," he said. Then, tone dropping some, he just asked, "So will you take it?"

Cautiously she reached out and did just that, staring down at the box. "This was really…kind."

"Yeah." He was happy again, nodding his head erratically. "I got it 'cause Laxus is always pouring out the pot on you, but bam! Now he can't."

"Bam!" The babies took to slamming against one another. "Bam!"

"Thank you," she said slowly as he only stood there, as if expectantly. "But, um-"

"What?"

"Shouldn't you, like, stop them?" She pointed to his babies who were still overhead, ramming one another for fun. "Before they break or something?"

"They're fine," he assured her. "But you really like it, huh?"

"Well, yeah." She shifted the box to one arm as she found herself pushing some of her hair back, behind one of her ears. "I do."

"That's great. Now we're buddies, right?" She could feel his gaze from behind his sallet and, for some reason, it made her blush. "And you won't yell at me anymore?"

"Only if you don't annoy me anymore," she finally got out, walking around him, towards the gate.

"I can do that," he was quick to turn and follow her. "I really could."

"Great."

"Great."

They must have walked for a full minute, away from the guildhall, just the two of them and his stupid dolls, who were still smashing into one another. They were durable, those annoying little brats were, she'd given them that.

"Uh, Bickslow?" she finally asked.

'Yeah?"

"Are you…following me?"

"What?" He frowned, glancing down at her. "No."

"Then what-"

"I was only going up to the guild to give that to you," he told her. "So I was headed back home now."

"You live near Mirajane?"

"Not really," he said with a shrug. "I'll head off here in a minute."

"Oh."

"Why?" That time, when he glanced at her, it was more out of curiosity. "Did you think that I was following you or something?"

"It was starting to look that way, yeah."

He snickered then, his dolls stopping what they were doing just to mimic him. "Sorry."

"Sorry, Lisanna," they all told her. "Sorry."

"I didn't think about how weird it might look to you," he said as he walked along beside her. "Is that where you're headed then? Home?"

"Well, you did just give me this," she said. "I do kinda have to-"

"Oh, yeah, right. Duh. Of course." He snickered some more, tongue sliding between his lips like always, his tattoo waving. "But you don't have any plans or anything?"

"Not that it's any of your business," she said, trying to walk a little faster, as if to lose him. He was sorta creeping her out at that point, "but no."

"Well, neither do I."

"And?"

"Boy, you don't make this easy, do you?" He shrugged slightly. "I just thought that we could…I dunno…hangout?"

"W-Why would you and-"

"If you're going to be an aunt, Lisanna, and I'm going to be the best friend of the father-"

"Again, I don't think that you and Laxus are-"

"-then we need to be a little closer than this, don't we?"

"No. Why? What do you-"

"Just go out to lunch with me, huh? And we can talk?"

"Why are you-"

"Laxus might of, uh, I dunno." He kicked at the ground. "He might have yelled at me for bothering you so much."

"He's the one bothering me," she said. "You're just annoying in general."

"Well, he said that Mira said that you told her that you hate having me and Freed and Ever around. So I thought that if, you know, I made friends with you before the two of them that he'd like me better."

She blinked. Then she stopped walking.

"So what? You're trying to buy me?"

"Not exactly, but-"

"Then take it back." She shoved the box at him. "Take it back. Right now. I don't want it anymore."

"Lisanna-"

"I don't get you guys," she complained after he had it. Storming off then, she said, "You're all so in love with Laxus. Look, I won't lie, he is powerful. He's one of the strongest mages I know. And yeah, he's done pretty good things before, but he's done some pretty shitty ones too. And last time I checked, good doesn't absolve bad. Not the type of bad he's done."

"You don't-"

"No, Bickslow," she complained, not glancing back at him as she continued down the sidewalk. "You don't' get it. You guys are so enraptured by him that you-"

"Why are you hating on the boss? He's made amends a thousand times over with everyone."

"Oh, has he?"

"Yeah!"

"I am so relieved to hear that."

"…Are you being sarcastic?"

"Just leave me alone!"

"No." He quickly followed her, his dolls trailing along behind. "Not if you're mad at me."

"What difference-"

"You'll tell your sister and she'll tell Laxus and he'll think that I was trying to, like, buy his affection or something through you."

"That is what you were doing!"

"What?" he asked. "Is it wrong of me to want to be friends with you? Someone that I've known since I was a kid? What's wrong with that?"

"If you don't leave me alone, Bickslow-"

"What? Huh?"

"I'll tell Mirajane that you followed me the whole way home, bothering me."

"You can't do that! Lisanna, listen to me."

"Don't-"

"What will it take then? Huh? For you to not tell her that? And to tell Laxus that me and you are, like, best friends?"

"What? Bickslow-"

"What? Huh? You want money? Or something? At least take this damn coffee pot. I can't stand the stuff."

They were nearing in on her house then and Lisanna just wanted to get there and shut him out.

"Please? Just take it," he said. "And, hey, what if we just don't say nothing to Mirajane about any of this? Or Laxus? Just wipe the slate clean. Huh? Aunty Lisanna?"

"Aunty Lisanna?" the babies sang. "Aunty Lisanna?"

"You are so stupid," she complained. "Just leave me alone."

Growling then, he came to a sudden stop. "Fine. Fine! But this is not over, kid. We're going to be friends. And Laxus is going to see it and think that I'm better than Ever and Freed. It's going to happen, kid. You just wait."

And when she got home, she only locked the door behind her with a groan. The last person she ever wanted to be friends with was him. Even fake friends.

So why couldn't he just leave her alone?

* * *

><p>"Work is so long these days," Mirajane sighed as she rested on her knees by the bathtub, bathing Nathan. Laxus was standing over at the sink, shaving. "I feel like I'm there forever."<p>

Grunt.

"Maybe it's just that I have something to be home for now. You think?" She glanced over at him. "Laxus?"

"Maybe."

"I mean, after Lisanna died, I just kinda buried myself in the guild," she went on. "And even after she got back, I still focused mainly on that. It's just so easy, you know?"

Grunt.

"The guildhall is always so bustling," she said. "I lose myself in it most of the time. But these days, I find that can't concentrate. Not even when you and Nate are up there. I'm always worried that he's bored or that I'm keeping you from taking jobs which would be really horrible, because those people that put up job request really need our help and-"

"Mirajane."

"What?"

"You just like being here with me and Nate," he told her, still just staring at himself in the mirror. "And why wouldn't you? It's given you a new purpose. You have a kid to take care of."

"I still need to take care of the guild though. I-"

"I know," he assured her. "And you do take care of it. You're the hardest worker there. And you just tend bar!"

"But-"

"You don't have to love it with all your heart anymore," he said with a sigh. "You have Nate now. And you love him too. So you want to spend some of your time with him. That's not a bad thing. You still wanna be up there, right?"

"Well, yeah. Of course," she said. "I love it there."

"And you love Nate. And Lisanna. And Elfman. That's a lot to juggle." Then he smiled slightly, it barely visible, even in the mirror. "But you can handle that. You can handle anything."

Nathan went down easy that night after spending the whole day playing with Laxus. She didn't even make it to his special song, which Laxus was glad for. Then it was just him and her, in his bedroom, him reading one of his books and her snuggled up with her headphones, trying to fall asleep.

"Hey, Mira?"

"Mmmmm?"

"You wanna go out to breakfast in the morning? Instead of making it?"

"Why?" she asked softly, curled tightly facing him. "You don't' like my cooking?"

"Nah, it's not that," he sighed as he laid the book down, open, on his chest. "You know that."

"Then what?"

"I just thought… Maybe we could go out to eat? And then shop around a little?"

"For what?"

"Well, the kid's been here awhile now," Laxus said. "He even has his own dang room."

"He does."

"So we probably should, I dunno, finally get down to buying him a few more sets of clothes? Don't you think?"

Mira only gave him a soft grin in return, hardly moving her lips at all. "That would be a good idea, yeah. At least it wouldn't hurt anything."

"Save you from constantly having to do laundry, at least."

"Or you could just start helping out with the laundry."

"Mirajane," he said, turning his head to stare into her eyes. "If I did my own laundry again, that would completely defeat the purpose of even having a girlfriend. Wouldn't it?"

Giggling slightly, she said, "You're really full of it recently, Laxus."

"Am I?"

"Mmmmhmm." Shutting her eyes then, she said, "Be quiet now. This is my favorite song."

He wondered what that was, what she was listening to in her headphones, if she was vain enough to have her favorite song as one of her own, but then only went back to his book. After about four minutes though, Mirajane sat up and slipped her headphones off before dropping then on the nightstand.

"G'night," she whispered, giving him his back as she tried to get comfortable.

"Going to sleep, demon?"

"Now that you promised me a shopping trip in the morning? Oh, yes. I'll be up with bells on before sunrise."

"I didn't promise _you_ nothing," he said. "I didn't even promise the kid something! I just said that I thought that we should take him to get some new clothes. That's it."

"Yeah, but Laxus," she complained. "You can't tell me that we're going shopping and not expect me to expect to get something. That's just crazy."

"Oh, is it?"

"Yeah, it is."

That time his grin was impossible to hide.

"You can have a few things, demon. Maybe. I dunno."

"You don't know? How do you not know?"

"Depends," he told her.

"It depends on what?"

"On whether or not the place we go to eat has bacon or not."

"Then you're out of luck, Mr. Dreyar," she told him.

"How so?"

"It most certainly will have bacon," she said. "What kind of breakfast place doesn't?"

"Guess you're right."

"And I am going to clean you out of every cent you own."

Grunt.

Giggles.

"I'll buy you whatever you want, demon," he told her then as he moved to set his book down on the nightstand, turning off the lamp while he was at it. "All you have to do is ask."


	20. Chapter 20

Parenthood

Chapter 20

"I love you."

It kinda just…slipped out one day, those three words did. Laxus was home alone with the kid, which was slowly becoming the norm, and the toddler was up on the bed with him, playing with his toys.

Err, he had been playing with them. Suddenly though, he just looked over at his father, who was reading one of his novels, and said one of his standard words.

"Kiss."

Mira had taught it to him and he used it frequently, just to get her to snuggle and cuddle him.

Laxus just ignored the request.

"Kiss," Nathan insisted, still just staring at him. "Laxus."

That time he got a grunt.

Leaving his toys behind, the kid crawled across the small space between them, staring at his father.

"Kiss."

"Kid," he grumbled, setting his book on his chest before saying, "I love you."

And then it was out there, no thought put behind it. His sentence continued without a pause.

"But," Laxus kept up. "Men don't kiss. So get over it."

"Kiss."

"No." He patted him on the head. "I'm not Mirajane."

"Mira," the boy said, giggling slightly. "Mira."

"You like her, huh?"

"Mira." Turning, he went back to his toys. "Laxus."

Grunt. Then, still just staring at the boy, he said, "She loves you too, alright? And she'll kiss and hug on you. But not me. So don't ask."

He was over needing to be appreciated though, as he only went back to playing, making all those noises and sounds that used to bug his father, but slowly, he'd learned to ignore them rather than shove his headphones on. Mirajane always told him that it was a good thing, hearing him so happy, because it meant they knew he was safe.

He never thought that something like that would matter to him, that he'd care so much about the kid. But he did. Nathan was his son. And he didn't want nothing to happen to him. Ever.

Mirajane felt much the same way and it was plainly obvious. It had been for some time, after all. She'd always told him that she loved him and frequently snuggled him, sometimes without prompting.

"She's real good at that stuff," Laxus told Freed once as they sat at their table in the guildhall. It was a rather slow day and Nathan was sitting over at the bar, watching Mirajane work from Elfman's lap. She was spending most of the day though leaning against the bar and talking directly to the little boy. He loved that. "Taking care of the kid and shit."

"So are you," Freed told him, just like usual. "You-"

"Nah," he said with a shake of his head. "I only got into taking the kid because I was into Mirajane. That's it. I'm not-"

"Everyone only does something because something else forces them to," he said. "You brush your teeth because they'll fall out if you don't. All the pressures of life make you drink. Wanting to be with Mirajane made you take care of Nathan and now you like it. Why's that a bad thing?"

It wasn't, he figured. But it still didn't diminish how great Mirajane was.

He really thought that. He didn't say it a lot, but he did. She had to be one of the best people he knew, if not the best. He couldn't imagine living without her any longer.

"I think I want to marry Mira."

He said this to Evergreen one day when she came over to clean up around the place. He made her do this sometimes, when Mira refused. Ever loved it, as she thought that it was him valuing her or something.

Ha.

"Are you drunk?" Ever had been going to get a vacuum, but stopped in the middle of the living room just to stare at him as he sat on the couch, listening to his Sound Pod.

"No," he said.

"Then-"

"I should ask her. I should-"

"Slow down here," she said, making him lock their gazes. "How long have you thought this?"

"Just now."

Groaning, she said, "Laxus, you do realize that a year ago, you didn't even think of Mira as more than a guild member, right?"

"Yeah, and ten months ago, I slept with her and knew that I wanted to be with her. What's your point?"

"Remember when you used to wear that vest all of the time? So you could show off your biceps?"

"What about it?" he grumbled.

"You don't wear it that much any more, do you? Because, even after only a short time, you realized that you didn't like it?"

"I don't-"

"Just give it some time, Laxus," she said before continuing on over to the hall closet to get the vacuum. "I don't know what it is with men. You and Elfman both-"

"Do _not_ ever compare me to him."

"Mmmm, you know," she said slowly. "They say that women marry men who remind them of their fathers. And Mira's told me before that Elf is practically a clone of theirs. So technically-"

"One more word," Laxus growled, "and Bickslow will be cleaning my apartment from now on."

Even though that threat worked, he'd have never been able to deliver on it.

Mainly because he, along with most everyone else, never saw heads or tails of the guy anymore.

Not that he knew at the time, but Laxus was actually very much responsible for that. It had all began a couple weeks before he had his sudden epiphany with Evergreen, all because he broke a date with Mirajane.

Which prompted the two of them to get into an argument about his commitments and what exactly he was doing instead of being with her. And how could he ever expect them to live together if he couldn't even keep a simple date?

Anyhow, it was that night that Mira found herself venting to her younger sister, who soaked up the drama with the same joy her sister typically had for those sorts of things. Mirajane even agreed that the next time she was off, she wouldn't be spending the time with Laxus. Oh, no. He'd missed his chance at going out to dinner.

The next time would be an evening dedicated to the two of them. Since the entrance of Nathan to their lives, the Strauss sisters hadn't had much of a chance to be alone. They were either arguing or extremely busy.

Raising a child wasn't simple, after all.

Man, was Lisanna excited about that. She thought that she and Mirajane could go shopping, maybe even out of town, and out to dinner. Just the two of them. Once, that wasn't such a treat, but rather a normal weekend, but those day? She craved to have that time back.

…Then Mira broke their date.

"I'm sorry, Lisanna," she sighed. "But Laxus is going on a job tomorrow and-"

"But you said-"

"I know. But come on, what do you want me from me?"

A lot. And she used to get it. But recently? Mira gave her a lot off nothing. Frequently.

And fine. When it was for Nathan, Lisanna didn't complain much. She rather liked the kid too. But for a guy? Not even a good one?

That was just wrong.

To make matters worse, Natsu and Lucy were out on a job with Gray and Erza, leaving Lisanna with hardly anyone to hangout with. The bar was slow and only Kinana was working. Even Levy and Gajeel hadn't shown their face in a few days.

It was torture. Everyone else had someone to be with, but her.

Even Elfman. And, don't get her wrong. She loved her brother more than anyone, but…seriously?

So she decided she go by herself, out of town. Why did she need Mirajane? What good was she? Let Laxus have her. Lisanna could have fun all by herself.

Then it happened.

"Going on a job, kid?"

She ended up on the same train as Bickslow.

"I told you," she grumbled as they stood on the platform, waiting for the train. At that point, she didn't know they were headed the same place and was holding out some sort of miracle that he was waiting for a different one. "I'm not a kid."

"Sheesh," he grumbled as he came to stand next to her. "Careful, babies. Lisanna hasn't had her coffee again."

"Why are you suddenly all over me again?" she grumbled, glancing at him. "There are tons of other places to stand. And where are you going anyways?"

"The shop that I buy my babies bodies from is only a few towns over," he said. "Sometimes I might walk, but-"

"Why do you need to buy more bodies? I mean, they clearly intact right now," she pointed out. He only shrugged.

"I have to keep a large stock," he said as the souls in question floating around, babbling incessantly. She didn't know how it didn't bug him. "They get into so many accidents. Not to mention, if I go out on a job, I like to carry a lot around in my pack, just in case."

"Just in case," they all shrieked, as if the loudest would win his affections. "Lisanna."

"Why do they know my name anyhow?' she grumbled, going back to staring at the tracks, waiting for her train to arrive. "I've never had anything to do with them."

"Why are you so sour towards me and the babies all of a sudden? I thought that we were friends."

"We were never friends."

"No," he agreed slowly. "But we've never been enemies either."

Another shrug.

"Is it because of Laxus and Mirajane?"

"W-What?"

"I know that you don't like him with your sister," he said with a shrug. "You make it pretty obvious. And I know that you get annoyed at times with Ever, about how she toys with your brother. And I guess that you're taking it out on me. It's whatever."

"I don't know what you're-"

"But I do know, kid, that you didn't tell Mira on me," he said, staring straight ahead then, his sallet hiding his eyes and the shadow from it his face. "That I was creeping you out or whatever. So…thanks."

She blinked. Then she just rolled her eyes.

"I don't care who Mira dates," she said. "If she thinks Laxus is so great, fine. And Ever and Elf are the same as they've always been. Neither of them are too great to one another."

"Ah. So you just hate me for no unexplainable-"

"I don't hate you, okay?" She was starting to get annoyed and unconsciously took to crossing her arms over her chest, glaring off. It was close to seven and the train station was rather packed. She thought about just going and waiting somewhere else, but why should she? When he was the one that approached her?

"Then-"

"I've just been having some really bad past few months."

"Compared to what? When you were dead?"

"Oh, so because I got to come back, that means I can't ever have a bad week or whatever?" Snort. Then she added, "And I wasn't dead!"

His tongue fell out of his mouth then and, even though she couldn't tell, she was pretty sure he was grinning.

"It's okay, kid," he said. "I like this you better anyhow, than the always happy and perky you. More real, anyhow."

She didn't know what to say to that and, lucky her, the train was coming into the station then, loud as ever, as the people all around were just beginning to get antsy. They got separated then, which was what she had been wanting anyhow. Still though, as she sat on the train a few minutes later, waiting for it to pull right back out of the station, she couldn't help feeling…kinda bad.

About Bickslow. Not Mirajane. No, she was still beyond peeved at her.

It bothered her the whole ride. Had she been being that bad to him? To everyone? She hadn't really noticed, but it would explain a lot. Even Natsu and Lucy didn't seem to like to hang around her that much anymore.

Was she different? She didn't feel different. She felt like everyone else was. Like they were all changing and turning into really shitty people. But what if it was her? What if it was her fault that they were acting strange around her? That they didn't want to be near her?

What if she was becoming, like, toxic or something? To her own friendships?

"What's the chance, huh?" she heard not soon after departing from the train. "Getting off on the same stop?"

There was a snickered attached to that, as well as five very annoying voices repeating, "Same stop," at noisome.

But Bickslow was only passing her as he left the station and didn't seem to plan to have any more dealings with her that day.

Something in her though, as he passed, made her reach out and grab his arm, tugging him to a stop. He only glanced back at her though, tongue pulling back up into his mouth.

"Wh-"

"I don't come here very often," was all she said as she let him go and blushed. "And-"

"And you want me to be your bodyguard? Well forget it, I'm off duty."

"What? No. I-"

"Just kiddin'. Standard rates apply though, kid."

With one hand, he reached up to push his sallet over his eyes, so that he could wink at her. And for some reason, even as corny and stupid as he was, even worse the way he dressed and that god-awful guild marking placement, she found herself grinning.

At him.

Because he was funny.

Man, there was something wrong with her.

Bickslow showed her the whole city that night. They ate out at his normal restaurant and, of course, went to get his babies bodies, but the rest of the time was spent showing her around.

"I love it here," he told her as they walked around. "There's cool fountains and statues and there's this one ice cream shop that, swear, has the best ice cream ever."

He just really seemed excited to have someone to hang around. She figured that a lot of his time was either spent with his team, Laxus, or just his dolls. That was the same as her, she figured, never having anyone anymore, not even her siblings.

Ugh. She found herself relating to him…

But that wasn't until much later. Because those hours they spent hanging out, she thought about nothing. They didn't talk about nothing. Really. They just…filled conversations with…stuff. She couldn't remember what. But she didn't remember a single bit of awkward silence between them.

Not once.

And when they went for a walk around one of the parks in the city, Bickslow showed her some of his tricks, clearly showing off as he had an audience. He could make his babies do very cool things, fine, but he himself was pretty slick. He could do flips, use the babies to fly into the air by balancing on their tiny tops.

"I can juggle too," he said, winking at her.

"And?"

"And? And? Lisanna, are you serious?"

"What?"

"You don't know what they say about jugglers?"

"What?"

But she was already laughing and he was grinning as he told her,

"They're super cool and always, _always_, make the best friends."

It wasn't funny. But she still laughed. At everything. And he did too. He always did, after all, but still. It all felt…different.

And when they nearly missed the last train back to Magnolia, she didn't even care. If she had to spend the whole night with him, it would have been fine.

Because she didn't need Natsu, Lucy, or Mirajane. They only brought her down.

But not Bickslow. Not anymore.

And, when she fell asleep on the way back into Magnolia, rested against his shoulder as they sat next to one another, he didn't even wake her. Because he'd already won, after all.

"Too easy," he decreed. Now that Lisanna was surely his friend, Laxus would…

But then he glanced down at her, snoring softly against his shoulder and he felt wrong. Almost like he conned her into it or something.

And he hadn't! Honest. Fine the coffee thing was a con, at first, but that day? Hanging out? That was all spontaneous. He really had just planned to get his babies bodies and go home.

"Maybe I won't tell Laxus," he mumbled as he glanced out the train window, his babies choosing to fall into his lap and Lisanna's to rest as well, until they got back into town. "For now."

He didn't either. And when Lisanna got home to find that no one had missed her, she decided not to say anything either. If Mira wanted to have her fun little life, fine, Lisanna would have hers.

That was how it ended up then. Whenever Bickslow didn't have to train or go on a job and she was free, they'd both meet at the train station and go hangout somewhere. He knew most of the surrounding towns well and liked taking her places.

As friends. Seriously, it was completely platonic. Wholly and truly. And it was…nice. She hadn't had a new friend in quite awhile, not realizing until then how much she'd missed the little things. Like learning their quirks or what made them tick. Having stupid conversations that led to deeper things.

In those few weeks, she probably had some of the most fun of her life. At least in the past year.

She even, once, found herself blowing off Natsu, who wanted to hangout with her, just him and Happy, because Lucy was with Erza doing…something. She didn't remember. Because she didn't care.

Bickslow was her friend then. And fine, she still wanted Natsu and always would, but…

Sometimes it was nice to be wanted back.

That, though, was where Laxus' suspicions came in. It was that day, when he mentioned Bickslow to Evergreen as a threat, that he realized something.

He hadn't seen the loser or his dolls in days! That was unheard it. There was a time, fine, when he used to not come around Magnolia a lot and neither did they, but that was many years ago. He saw all of the Thunder Legion at least once a week, most of the time more.

"Some bodyguard," Laxus grumbled as he sat on the couch, turning up his music louder to drown out the sound of the vacuum.

But Bickslow couldn't help it. Because as much as he worshiped Laxus, as much as he treated the men like a higher being, Lisanna was, well…

He didn't want to risk losing her. That. Their friendship. It was new to him too. His only true friends were his babies and Ever and Freed. Having someone else to pal around with was great.

He'd never had someone think so highly of him before. But she did. She thought all of his jokes were funny, even the ones that Ever said were stupid and Freed just flat didn't get. She didn't mind the babies none either. She even went with him to his apartment once, to see how he made them.

"It takes you a while, huh?" she'd asked. "To paint them just right."

"Yep," he said, nodding his head as they sat next to each other on his living room floor, them floating around in their current bodies as he worked at making their new ones. "But it's worth it. They're my family. And you always do for family. You know?"

She only grinned that before nodding slightly.

"Yeah. I know."

It got to the point where he didn't even care if Laxus knew that they were friends or not. If he ever knew. If anyone ever knew. He just wanted her to stay his friend. And he hoped that she felt the same way.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for no update yesterday. But I was pumping them out daily beforehand, so it wasn't too bad a wait, was it?<strong>


	21. Chapter 21

Parenthood

Chapter 21

Though he disliked her at times, Ever had never been more right. Because not two weeks after that whole marriage stuff, he had a sudden realization.

He didn't want to marry Mira at all.

And that came the night of their biggest fight to date.

"I didn't sleep with her, Mirajane."

"Then why the hell were you out on a date with her?"

"It wasn't a-"

"Yes, it was!"

It all began when Mira had to work all day and Lisanna wanted to babysit Nathan.

"What am I supposed to do?" Laxus grumbled to Mirajane as she got ready that morning, him coming over to her house only to she hadn't even made breakfast. "Mira?"

"For breakfast? Come to down to the-"

"All day," he corrected. "What am I supposed to do if Lisanna has the kid and you-"

"I don't know, Laxus. Train?"

"I trained yesterday!"

"Then train again."

"I don't-"

"There has to be something that you want to do," Mirajane reasoned. "Something that you can't because me and Nate fill up your whole day. Just go do that."

And no, for the record, the first thing he did was not go seek out some woman to screw around with. That might have been with Mira thought, but it didn't go down that way at all.

In fact, he went home and went back to bed. Then, around noon, he got back up to go find someone to hangout with. He hadn't seen Bickslow in a few days, Evergreen kept nagging him about him wanting to marry Mirajane, and Freed was…

Huh. Where was Freed?

So he set off to find him because all his other friends, his non guild friends, were either women that Mira told him he wasn't allowed to see or men that there was no way would be seen until at least sundown.

So he went to find Freed. It was just as innocent as that. In fact, he was on the way over to the man's apartment when he ran into…her.

That's what Mira didn't get. He was seeking out nothing bad. Bad just came to him. It always did. He could be on his best behavior, but always, no matter what, something would appear before for him. Tempt him.

And boy did she tempt him.

It started with her just acting shocked to see him. That wasn't wholly right though as many of the women that Laxus used to screw around with saw him out a lot. They were just too afraid to approach him, as he was usually with his new girlfriend, who, after a few checks, they found that he was very committed to.

Bleh.

So when this particular woman approached Laxus, he was a little shocked. And she didn't say much. Just started talking to him, asking about how he'd been and stuff. Which was fine. Wasn't it fine? Mira had so many stupid rules. He couldn't even hangout with anyone anymore. And why? Just because he'd slept with them?

Okay, so he was a little mad at Mirajane and yeah, he wasn't thinking much, but it wasn't fair. She could just do whatever she wanted and he couldn't do anything?

So, when the woman asked if he wanted to grab some lunch, he said yes. Of course he did. Why shouldn't he? He knew that he wouldn't end up in bed with her. There was no way that he would.

So why did it matter if he went to lunch with the woman?

Apparently, it mattered a great deal.

"How did you eve find out?"

"What difference does it make, Laxus?"

"A lot!"

"So what? You weren't going to tell me then?"

"Why should I have? So you could just yell at me and scream at me and- You know what? Fuck this. I-"

"Don't you curse at me, Laxus. You were the one-"

"Who told you?"

"You should have told me!"

"Maybe I was going to," he argued. "But you didn't give me a chance. I come in here to check on you, make sure you got home from work okay and what? You start yelling at me? After someone, what? Saw me?"

"Elfman did. My own brother had to-"

"He didn't have to do anything, Mirajane! 'cause I didn't do anything! I took her out to lunch because you were-"

"Because I was working?"

They were standing there, in the living room, where Mira had been sitting on the couch waiting for him to show up. Whenever she worked nights, he found his way over at her place. Especially if she worked all day and they didn't get a chance to be together.

He was going to forever disregard that then though. Forever.

"You were rude this morning and-"

"I shouldn't have to worry about you screwing around every time I have to work!"

"I'm not!"

His shout was accompanied by the front door opening and Lisanna walking in, Nathan in her arms. That gave Laxus his chance to escape as Mirajane directed her pent up rage at her sister.

"Where have you been?" Mira marched over to take the sleeping Nathan from Lisanna's arms. "It's almost midnight, Lisanna."

"He was fine. He was sleeping and I was hanging out with…my friends. He went to bed like normal, I gave him dinner. He just didn't fall asleep over here." Lisanna shrugged some, glancing between them, taking in the dark faces of both S-Class wizards. "Are you that mad because I got home late? Seriously?"

Neither spoke though as Laxus only snorted before walking off, into the kitchen. Mirajane though stayed right there.

"What were you, Natsu, and Lucy even doing this late?"

"I-"

"They aren't in town," they heard Laxus grumble from the other room. Frowning, both women turned to walk over to the kitchen.

"Why would you-"

"Because," Laxus cut off his girlfriend. "I ran into them yesterday when they were headed to the train station with their damn cat. The blonde one wanted to go somewhere fun. I think they were going to some beach or something. But he wanted to fight with me and she got angry, saying that he was wasting time, that they had a train to catch. So he told me that when he got back next week, he'd kick my ass."

Lisanna frowned. "And? I never said that I was with them anyhow. So-"

"Then who were you with?"

"What business is it of yours, Mirajane?"

"Yes." Laxus, who had gotten a beer out of the fridge, pointed over at Lisanna. "That's what I'm talking about, Mira. What business is it of yours if I'm out? Huh? I'm not sleeping with someone. And as long as I don't do that-"

"No, do not group me in with whatever you two have going on." Lisanna turned to walk off. "I brought him home, Mirajane, and he's fine. You yelling at me isn't going to change anything. Now goodnight."

"Wow." Laxus took a sip of his beer before shaking his head. "She is so disrespect-"

"Shut up, Laxus," Mira hissed as Nathan, who had awoken to find himself in Mira's arms, snuggled closer. He hadn't seen her all day! It was torture.

Not that he didn't have fun, but still. It just wasn't the same if Mirajane wasn't there.

"And get out," she kept up.

"I-"

"I shouldn't have to worry, Laxus, that if I don't sleep with you for a week or aren't free when you want that you might go and sleep around or take other women out on dates." She turned to walk off, no doubt to her own bedroom. "I don't want to see you again until I have some time to think.'

"This is bullshit. You-"

"Goodnight."

He slammed the door about the same time she made it to her bedroom. That upset Nathan a little bit, who whined for his father, but Mira only took him over to the bed.

"Shhh," she sighed as she sat down, him in her lap. "It's okay. Lisanna shouldn't have kept you out so late, should she have?"

"Mira," he whined as he snuggled up close. "Nigh-nigh?"

"Yeah. We're gonna go night-night now." Slowly, she shifted to lay him down. He whined at first until he saw her go get her guitar from where it was resting in the corner of the room. "Are you ready for your song?"

He was still so sleepy that it was easy to get him to go to bed that night. Which Mirajane was glad for because all she wanted to do was drift off herself. She had so much on her mind that she forgot all about who Lisanna had thought it was a good idea to bring Nathan around.

Oops.

* * *

><p>"<em>You<em>."

"'ey, boss." Bickslow took a step back after opening the door to his tiny apartment. He was without his usual visor as he stood there in jeans and an unbuttoned shirt that he was trying to get on. "You need somethin'? Me and the babies here were just heading out on-"

"The hell have you been, Bickslow?" Laxus grumbled as he shoved his way into the apartment. "Huh?"

"What are you talking about? I've been here all day. And now I'm about to go out. Why? I miss a training session or-"

"I haven't hardly seen you in weeks." Laxus was at ease in the apartment and only went over to the man's mini-fridge (prices for a good fridge were ludicrous) that he kept in the living room. "What have you been doing? Huh?"

"I don't know. I-"

"If you had been around yesterday, I wouldn't have fucked up everything with Mirajane."

Bickslow blinked, still just standing there with his shirt unbutton, hands poised to right this. Staring at his idol, he only watched as he took a seat on the couch like it was nothing.

"You know?" he whispered.

"Know what?"

"About…Lisanna?"

Laxus narrowed his eyes. "_What_ about Lisanna?"

"I… What?"

"No, you said Lisanna." Laxus didn't rise, but he didn't need to. He could strike fear in Bickslow from the toilet if he had to. "What about her?"

"I-"

"Did you two idiots do something?" His eyes were dark. "Bickslow-"

"Nothing! Honest, boss, I-"

"What? She's jealous that I'm taking her sister and you're mad that her sister's taking my time? So you plant that woman, send her off to try and…seduce me?"

"Uh, I really don't know what you're talking about, boss," he said, tongue falling from his mouth. "Honest. But I sort of have a prior engagement."

"Engagement!" His dolls, who hadn't been doing much but floating around, came to circle their father's head. "Prior engagement!"

"What are you doing? Huh? That's so important?" Laxus was still suspicious.

"W-Well-"

There was a knock at the door then, making both of them glance at it. Bickslow only grinned.

"Probably the wrong address. I-"

"Answer it."

"Or maybe a traveling salesman-"

"Answer it," Laxus hissed. "Now."

Turning slowly, he went to open the door, only to reveal a bubbly Lisanna.

"Are you re- How could you still be getting dressed?"

"Uh, Lisanna," he sighed as he let her in. "The boss is here."

"Wh- Oh." She had come into the place only to stop short as Bickslow's dolls sang her name in excitement. "Laxus."

He only looked between the two of them for a moment before laughing. He hadn't done that since fighting with Mirajane the night before, but man, if he didn't have a good one then. And Lisanna only closed the door behind her before crossing her arms.

"It's not funny," she hissed. "What are you-"

"You and Bickslow are dating?"

"No," they both said at the same time.

"We're not," she insisted. "We were just going to hangout."

Bickslow nodded as his babies joined Laxus in his laughter.

"That's all," he said. "Seriously, boss. You don't think that I would ask you before dating your girlfriend's sister?"

"Why would you?" Lisanna gave him a look for that one. "Why would it be any of his business?"

"I- Hey, who cares?" Bickslow shrugged. "'cause we're not dating anyhow."

"We're just friends," she agreed then, looking back at Laxus. He only shook his head though.

"This is too great," he said. "I have to tell Mir… Oh yeah."

"What were you going on about anyhow?" Bickslow went back to getting his shirt buttoned. "What'd you do to Mirajane? 'cause we didn't have anything to do with it."

"I didn't do-"

"He went out to dinner with one of the women that he used to sleep with," Lisanna said, still glaring at him. "You really hurt her with this, Laxus. You-"

"I ate fucking lunch with a friend," he grumbled. "Last time I checked, that ain't a crime."

"It is when Mirajane told you not to hang around those people anymore."

"And what is she? Huh? My keeper?"

"No," she said. "But she's your girlfriend and-"

"Don't argue with the boss now, huh?" Bickslow had finished with his shirt and took to patting Lisanna on the head. She only continued glaring at Laxus though. To his idol, the seith said, "Did you want something though, Laxus? We got a train to catch."

"A train, huh?"

Lisanna's arms found their way to being crossed over her chest. "What difference does it make to you what we're doing? We're busy, so-"

Laxus only slowly got to his feet, taking a sip of his beer as he came closer. Once he was over next to them, he only looked at his bodyguard.

"I don't care if you're getting it in with the brat or not."

"I'm not a brat!"

"But," Laxus went on. "You can't become unavailable. Believe me, I could replace you just like that."

"Of course, boss," he said. "Sorry if you felt like I was unavailable."

After he left, Bickslow only grinned sheepishly at Lisanna. She rolled her eyes at the sight.

"You don't have to let him bully you constantly."

"He doesn't bully me," Bickslow said as he went to go find his shoes. "He's just…strict. He hired me for a reason. He's the best boss a person like me could ask for!"

Lisanna only rolled her eyes. "I'll take your word for it."

"So are you ready to take off?" He'd disappeared into his bedroom then and she only followed.

"Uh-huh."

"Yesterday was cool, watching the kid and everything, but I'm glad that we actually get to do something today."

"Me too."

"And Laxus seemed-"

"Did you not tell him? That we were hanging out?"

"No." He appeared again, his helmet covering his face once more. "Was I supposed to?"

"I thought… I mean, wasn't that the point? Of being my friend?"

"The point of being your friend, kid, is because I think that it's fun to be around you." He placed his helmet on his head. "And if you're ready, let's get down to the station, huh?"

"Huh?" his dolls mimicked. "Lisanna?"

She only smiled though. "Yeah. Let's."

* * *

><p>"Mira-"<p>

"I'm working."

"I know, but listen. I-"

"Working."

"I-"

"Still working."

Laxus felt foolish then, trying to follow his girlfriend around the guildhall as she delivered beers and picked up empty mugs. He didn't want to, honestly, but she was leaving him with no options. The guild would be closing up soon and, after leaving Bickslow's, he'd spent the whole rest of the day there, trying to talk.

But Mira didn't want to talk. She didn't want to see him. She didn't even want to hear him. She just wanted him to leave her alone.

She was having no such luck in that department though as Laxus had no intentions of going anywhere.

"Mirajane," he complained. "Come on. You have to talk to me."

"No."

"I sat here all day, waiting for you to take a break so that we can speak. Now you're going to talk to me!"

"You wanna do something for me, Laxus?"

"No. I mean…will that make you happy?"

She glanced over her shoulder at him. "Nate's sitting over there with Elf and Ever. Take him home. To your home. It's getting late."

"But Mirajane-"

"I'll come by after work and we can talk then. Alright?"

He really wanted to get the whole thing finished then. Not later. Freed was off training, Bickslow was, apparently, banging Lisanna, and he was mad at Evergreen and Elfman.

Since when were those his only options for hanging out?

Oh yeah. Since Mira put him on restrictions.

Ugh.

Having a woman wasn't wroth it.

He was so thankful that he hadn't actually ask her to marry him or something stupid like that.

"I need the kid," he grumbled as he went over to Elfman and Evergreen. They were seated by themselves, the toddler in Elfman's lap, napping from the looks of it. His bed time had long gone at that point. "Now."

Elfman only frowned at him. "Are you going to cheat on him too?"

"What sense does that-"

"Elfman's only being…well..." Evergreen didn't have an excuse for her boyfriend then and only moved to take the child from his lap before holding him out to Laxus. "Here. Take the baby."

He only glared at her. "You better not have had anything to do with telling Mirajane on me, Ever," was his warning before walking off, kid in his arms.

Nathan slept practically the entire way home. They were a block from Laxus' building when he awoke with a yawn, snuggling closer to his father.

"You better not start crying," Laxus told him. "I cannot deal with that right now."

And he didn't, start crying that is. Until they got to the apartment and Laxus took him into his bedroom.

Then he started bawling.

"Mira," he sobbed as Laxus only went to work stripping him down and getting him into his jammies. The child fought him though. "Mira. No! No!"

"Stop," he grumbled. "Mirajane's working. You're fine. You're going to get into your big boy bed like you know how to and you're gonna go to sleep. Then I'm going to get drunk and hope that Mira doesn't start yelling at me again when she shows up."

But that wasn't an option. Nathan did not want to be there that night for whatever reason. Laxus figured part of the problem was that he was overly tired. When that happened, he usually took forever and a day to get down.

Laxus eventually took him to his bedroom, thinking that maybe that would calm him down some, but to no avail. He wailed just as much in there. And man if Laxus wasn't ready to just bash his own skull in. He'd never hurt the kid but…well…

Eventually, the toddler just gave out, collapsed in the center of his father's bed, falling asleep out of nowhere. If he couldn't tell that he was breathing, Laxus might have feared that he was, like, dead or something.

It was probably midnight when Mirajane finally got there. By that point, tired after having to deal with a cranky kid, Laxus was mostly asleep. He heard her enter and heard her sigh, but he didn't move from his face down position on the bed, knowing if he did it'd only end badly for him.

"So much for talking," he heard her grumble as she undressed before joining him and Nathan in bed. He weighed his options and knew better than to let it be known he was awake. Instead, he only laid there and hoped that she'd still be when he awoke the next morning.

She wasn't.

But that was only because he could hear her in the adjoining bathroom, giving Nathan his morning bath.

"He's in high spirits," Laxus remarked as he went in there, planning on taking a leak. "You should have heard him last-"

"Don't talk to me." She didn't even look up from bathing the child.

"Mirajane-"

"I was working and you thought that meant that you could take another woman out to dinner. That-"

"I know now that I can't. So knock it off, alright?" He snorted as he went over to the toilet. "Making a big deal out of nothing. So what? I went out to lunch? I mean-"

"Then I'm going out to lunch. And to shop. And to see plays. All with guys that I formally-"

"Ha. No."

"Fair is fair."

"Fair is bullshit."

"Stop cursing." She glanced over at him. "And don't pee in here when I'm- Laxus!"

"Laxus," Nathan mimicked was a giggle as he played in the bathwater. "Laxus!"

"My apartment, my rules. I pee where I wanna pee."

"You're so gross."

Needless to say, things didn't go well from there. She refused to make him breakfast. Instead, she only dressed Nate and took him back to her house.

"When you're ready to admit that you were wrong," she told him as she left, "you know where to find me."

But he hadn't been wrong. And he hadn't slept with anyone else. He had hardly even put a hand on the woman's shoulder!

Mirajane was acting crazy. Plain and simple.

Although…if all it took to make her forgive him was saying that…

So he went out and bought her flowers and candy and got the kid a toy. He'd never had to do that before. He never cared to. If something went wrong with the woman, then he considered it as there was something wrong with the woman.

But there wasn't anything wrong with Mira. Err, well, she was rather annoying, but he figured that all women were like that. All people, even. Maybe he was just hard to get along with. Whatever. The point was that he wanted to keep her.

Even with degrading consequences.

So he bought all that stuff, feeling rather foolish the whole time, but knowing that the payoff was worth it.

For the record though, marriage was officially off the table. He could hardly do anything and they were only dating!

Man, he'd give it to Ever; when she was right about something, she was spot on.

When he showed up to the Strauss house though, he found out that all his planning and work was all for not, as Mirajane had shifted onto another problem.

"What's going on?" he grumbled as, after answering the door, Mira only turned away and walked back off to the kitchen. "Mira? Hey, I got you these dumb chocolates and flowers, so you better-"

"Just set them on the table, Laxus," he heard her call. Nathan was in the living room, all alone, playing on the floor, and smiled in greeting.

"Hi, Laxus," he called out as the man only came to drop the toy for him on the floor in front of him, not even taking it out of it's box. Just as quickly he was head for the kitchen to find out what was going on.

Elfman was at the table, sobbing, as his sister on sat next to him, trying her hardest to be comforting.

"What's wrong?" Laxus sneered. "You and Ever break up again?"

"Yes," Elfman said, glancing up. "How'd you know?"

He only made a face though. "Mira, are we made-up again or what? Because I-"

"What?" She glanced over at him in annoyance before shrugging. "Laxus, I don't care right now, alright? Thank you for the stuff, but could you just go do something else right now?"

Her tone was tired, but not of him. Mission accomplished.

And, after making a few sandwiches, he went to the living room to watch the kid and eat them, far away from Elfman and his overly 'manly' meltdown.

"Damn it, kid," he grumbled as Nathan giggled. "I could have gotten out of those damn flower. Wonder if she knows I got chocolates. Hmmm. You hungry?"

Yes. Always.

Laxus only sat him in his lap, giving him a little bit of chocolate and a lot of sandwiches.

So he'd survived another fight with Mirajane. Maybe they were meant to be together.

Maybe.


	22. Chapter 22

Parenthood

Chapter 22

"You remember that?"

"Mmmhmm," Mirajane said as she picked up around the apartment. "How could you not?"

"I mean, I remember it," he said. "But not that much. Down to the date or whatever. You sure it's today?"

"Yep," she said before giggling. "Hear that, Nathan? You've been with me and Laxus for a year now."

"Mira," he giggled. "Bir'day."

She'd pumped his full of thoughts on that too, as it was only a month or so away as well.

"That's right, Nathan," she said as he only rolled his little toy cars around on the carpet. He far preferred the tile in the kitchen, but being around Mirajane made it worth it. "It's going to be your birthday soon, isn't it?"

"Yes!" He wiggled in excitement. "Yes!"

Laxus only sat there though, on the couch in the Strauss house, frowning slightly.

"It's really been a year, Mira? You're sure?"

"Well, yeah, Laxus," she said as she went to give Nathan a kiss on the head. "Doesn't feel like it, huh?"

No. He only stared at the kid, thinking hard. A year, huh? Hmmm.

"I still think it's kinda weird," Mirajane said slowly, glancing over at him. "That his mother really never did-"

"He doesn't even remember her now."

"Yes, he does," Mira said. "I bet-"

"No. He doesn't even ask for her."

"Well, he just forgot. That's all."

Laxus grunted. "He knows you now."

"And you."

"Well, yeah, but he thinks that you're the one that takes care of him. The rest of us just happen to be around." Glancing at the child, he said, "Ain't that right, kid?"

"Laxus," he giggled. "P'ay?"

"Nah, I'm good, kid."

"You could try helping me clean," Mira said as she headed then down the hall. "You do stay here enough. Not to mention, I clean up your apartment."

He made a face at Nathan, what with Mira's back turned, mocking the woman. The child only giggled. He had been in a pretty good mood the past few days. They both had. Even Mira wasn't nagging as much. Things had reached a shaky calm once more.

Other than, like, with Ever and Elfman. That was still as rocky as ever. And Lisanna and Bickslow were still just 'hanging out' without mentioning it to anyone. In fact, Laxus was pretty sure that he was the only one that knew about it.

Not that he was interested in it. At all. In fact, it pretty much disgusted him.

"Laxus." Nathan stood up slowly, taking one of his little action figures with him before rushing over to his father. He liked running. A lot. Mira couldn't let go of him even for a second in the market or else he'd try to make a break for it.

Once, only a few weeks ago, she'd been trying to carry a bag in one hand and, when it started to slip, she dropped his hand, just for a moment. When she'd glanced back down, he'd been gone.

Man, if Laxus didn't have to hear about that when the two of them got home. Mira had had to go run the little boy down who, after having Mirajane scold him (she was quite the punishment giver), was in tears and wailing.

"Nathan," Laxus had sighed after Mira only dropped the boy in front of him, her face showing that she was still coming down off her own worry. He was sure that it had been a gut punch for her, to look down and find him gone.

"No!"

"Listen to me." Laxus only bent down and stared him in the eyes though the boy's were red with tears welled up at the sides. "You can't run away from Mirajane. You think that it's funny? Huh? For her to worry about you? It's not."

Then he did the last thing Mirajane was expecting by forcing the kid to turn around before he hit him swiftly on the bottom.

"Laxus!" Mirajane hit him, literally, in the head. A lot harder than he had the kid. As Laxus let go of the kid to rub at his head and glare at his girlfriend, the little boy only ran behind Mira for cover.

"What the-"

"You do not hit him," Mira hissed as Nathan only wrapped his arms around her, glaring over at Laxus. "Ever. What made you think that that was okay? Huh? Have you been doing that?"

"No," he grumbled as he stood once more, though he kept glaring at her. "But I thought the time called for it. Ivan hit me a lot more. When I-"

"Ivan wasn't a father, Laxus. He was a…a… You're not going to hit him!" She gathered Nathan up into her arms then, the child only snuggling close to the woman that moments before he was so angry at. "It's just not allowed. Understand?"

He blinked. Then he looked off.

"Yeah, sure, whatever."

"I mean it. If I see you hit him again-"

"I won't, alright? And besides, the kid already has forgiven me." He looked to Nathan then, but the little boy only stuck his tongue out at him. "Mira-"

"You deserve it," she said then, bouncing her toddler slightly. That's right. Hers. Because that kid definitely wasn't his anymore. Laxus didn't think he ever was.

Of course, slowly, Nathan forgot later that day that he was supposed to be mad at Laxus and Mirajane was much the same. But he knew from that point forth not to spank the kid (at least not around her).

Honestly, after Mira's statement only a few moments ago, he was shocked that that had been the first time he'd had to spank him, given it had, apparently, been a year.

Mind blowing. Just knowing that a year ago, Mira was an annoying barmaid and he was a single guy with no responsibilities… Now that was all gone.

"Here you go, buddy," he sighed as Nathan scrambled to get on the couch with him, wanting to sit in his lap. "You don't like playing by yourself, huh? Maybe we should think about finding you some friends."

"Or," he heard as Mirajane came back into the room. "Ever and Elfman can have a baby! And…and…Lucy and Natsu, and Levy and Gajeel, and-"

"What the hell is wrong with you? Why would we ever want him to associate with the offspring of those idiots?"

"Laxus," Mira hissed.

"What? You're so weird, wanting them to have kids anyhow. Our kid isn't going to have anything to do with any of those losers. He'll be friends with way better kids than any of them," he said. "And for the record, I don't ever want any of those people to reproduce. Why would I? Gross."

"G'oss," Nathan mimicked as he tried to shove his action figure in Laxus' mouth. "G'oss."

"You're gross," Laxus told him, pushing his hand away with a frown, getting a giggle from the toddler. "Knock it off."

"G'oss."

"Why would you think that we get to be the only one with a kid?" Mira wasn't letting up.

"Because we didn't make one. Or you didn't. And I certainly didn't do so on purpose," he told her. "And I never want to again. So I'd highly suggest it to all the other-"

"That was a really rude thing to say." She was just standing there then, in front of the couch, with her arms crossed. "Laxus."

"Mira, I didn't-"

"Yes, you did. You always say stuff like that. About how he's a mistake or that you wished that this all didn't happen. You-"

"I do not. I only make jokes. What's wrong with jokes?'

"You're not allowed to make jokes about your son."

"He doesn't get them."

"But he will eventually."

"G'oss." Nathan was trying again to shove that toy in Laxus' mouth. "Open!"

"Knock it off, kid," he grumbled, glaring down at him. "I mean it."

"Well, Laxus, I do want more kids." Gah! Mira wouldn't shut up. Why had he even said anything?

"And I don't."

"Who said anything about you being involved in that?"

He turned his narrowed eyes onto her. Then, after a moment of only getting a mutual glare in return, he said, "You don't want more now, do you?"

"Like, do I want to try for one? Now? With you? No."

"Mira-"

"But soon," she said. "I want Nathan to have what I had."

"What do you mean?"

"You know," she said as she took to shrugging, her crossed arms falling to her sides. "How me and Elf and Lisanna were all super close in age. I don't want him to be like you."

"What's wrong with me?"

"You didn't have any brothers or sisters growing up," she said. "And it shows."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"How you're…selfish. And you clearly reject the idea of being loved because-"

"I don't reject-"

"Ivan didn't love you, so you try hard not to-"

"You're out of line." He stood at that, moving to set Nathan, who still for some reason wanted that dang action figure in his father's mouth, on the ground. Turning to walk away from her, he said, "That's bull. And don't ever try to tell me-"

"I was only-"

"I don't want anymore kids," he said simply as he headed for the front door. "I don't want to have to pay for anymore. I hardly like the responsibility I have now. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have any at all. And if you ever try to talk about my father to me again, we'll be more than through."

"Laxus," Nathan called to him as Mira only stood there, watching him walk out the front door. "Go bye-bye?"

He only pulled on his coat from the rack by the door. "You're staying here."

"No." Taking his toy with him, he rushed over to his father, holding out his arms. "Laxus?"

"Don't take being mad at me out on him," Mira said simply, not sure what else to do, as Laxus only shoved Nathan gently away from him when he tried to hug his legs. "I'm sorry, okay? I was only-"

"Sticking your nose where it doesn't belong, like always."

"Laxus-"

"Stay with Mira or go with me, kid," he said then to his son, ignoring her then. "Which is it?"

He only stared up at him though. "No bye-bye."

"That's not an-"

"I said sorry," Mira complained, coming over there as well. "What do you want? It's true, Laxus, You won't even say that you love Nathan. I mean-"

"I do fucking say it, Mira," he growled, turning his eyes on her then as she only took a step back. "Just because I don't go through you to do so doesn't mean shit. So stop telling me how to take care of my own damn son. 'cause that's what he is. Mine. So fuck you."

He'd been pretty nasty to her before, but that was the worst he had been since they'd gotten together. She'd clearly struck something inside of him.

"I-I was only-"

"I don't care." He looked down at Nathan once more. "See you tomorrow, kid."

"Bye-bye." He was over the whole thing then and only went back over to his other toys. He'd make Laxus eat the action figure later. "Laxus."

"Just stay." Mira reached out to lay her hand on his arm, but he dodged her and headed out the door. "Laxus-"

"Damn demon," he grumbled as he set off from the house. "Try and tell me my shit. About my fucking father. Her own damn village doesn't want her and she tries to tell me my shit? Fuck her."

He felt that way too…for about twenty minutes. Just long enough for him to get home and miss her. And no, he certainly didn't want anymore kids.

…Not that minute. But…he didn't…

It wasn't a deal breaker. And he had been pretty lonely, growing up, which had been the original thing Mira was trying to get across to him. And he certainly didn't want Nathan to be lonely. Or weird. Or whatever.

But she had been out of line. More than crossed it, in fact. No one talked about Ivan. Not even Gramps.

She was still his demon though. And she was off that day. They were going to spend it together.

Walking all the way back over there though…

Sigh. His demon made him do a lot of things. A lot. Mainly ones that he didn't see as helping him any.

Like making the walk back over there.

He wasn't going to ask for her forgiveness though. No way. He was going to let her apologize and promise never to say something like that again. That was all. And then, maybe, he'd think about sticking around.

Maybe. He didn't know yet.

When he arrived at the house though, it was Lisanna who answered the door. Err, rather she was going into the house as he walked up and didn't close the door on him.

"Lisanna." Mira was still cleaning the living room when the two of them entered. At the sight of her sister though, she frowned. "Where have you been? You didn't come home last night at all."

"Yeah, and I'm tired," she said as she only continued out of the room and down the hall. "You're not my mother, Mira. I don't keep track of what you do with your time."

"Lisanna-"

"I'm going to bed. Keep it down."

Laxus, who was still standing in the doorway, only widened his eyes, blinking.

"She's sure taken a turn for the worst."

"What do you want, Laxus?" Mira only went back to cleaning as Nathan, who was still playing with his toys, took to waving. "If it's to make me feel like a horrible girlfriend or to be mean or yell or-"

"Mira, I don't want any of that. I never have. I just-"

"Close the door," she complained. "I'm not in the mood."

"Mira, I just came by to get an apology," he said as he came further into the house. "Not yell at you or-"

"An apology? Fine, Laxus. I'm sorry that I said that your father didn't love you, even though he doesn't. I'm sorry that I said that it's his fault that you are the way you are, when it totally is. And I'm very sorry for loving you enough to try and talk to you about-"

"Loving me? Loving me? This is loving me? Telling me that-" She didn't cut him off. He just stopped speaking. "Y-You love me?"

"Are you that stupid?"

"Mira-"

"Yes, I love you, Laxus. Is it really that hard to get? I thought that you knew that. Why else would I put up with all of your-"

"I love you too." Laxus was crossing the room then, all thoughts of their fight out of his mind as he approached her. "Seriously, Mira, I do. I-"

"Again, I know this."

He only came over to her though, taking both her cheeks in his hands, and pressing a kiss to the crown of her head.

"Laxus-"

"I love you, Mira. A lot."

"So what? You're not mad at me anymore just because-"

"But I don't want kids. Right now," he told her. Then, glancing at Nate, he said, "I mean another one. At all. I-"

"Well, I never said that I wanted them right now," she said as he let her go. "Just that soon, I'd like to talk about it. In a year or so."

That sound a lot further away than soon, but then again, given the fact that the past year had just blurred by at a frightening speed, he only nodded. Maybe time would slow down eventually. Probably after Nate got older.

Hopefully.

"If we're still together," Mira was saying then, never knowing when to just stop. "I plan to be. Don't you?"

He only stared at her. "Just told you I loved you, woman. What more do you want?"

She giggled then, finally, before moving to wrap her arms around him.

"I didn't think you'd ever say that," she whispered. "That you thought that you didn't need to or something."

He only stood there for a moment, thinking. Then he hugged her as well, turning his head down so that he could bury his nose in her white hair. It always smelled nice. Nate thought so too and liked to sniff it as well.

"You're my demon," he told her. "And I shouldn't have made you feel that way. I-"

"No," she groaned. "I shouldn't have said those things about Ivan. I really was just being nosey and picking on you for no reason. I truly am sorry, Laxus."

"Don't mention it."

She let him go then. It was only because Nathan was at their sides, annoyed that he wasn't getting any attention. She lifted the child into her arms, quickly pressing a kiss to his head. Nathan giggled like always at that before looking to his father.

"G'oss," he said, remembering the word from earlier. In his hand was one of his toys, which, now that he was nearly level with the man, he tried once more to shove in his mouth. "G'oss."

"Nathan," Laxus complained, pushing the toy away as Mira smiled and snuggled the boy closer. "You little brat."

He loved his son. And he loved his demon. There was nothing in the world that was ever going to take them away.

"I am so glad that you all love each other," they heard then from deeper in the house. "But I told you I was going to sleep. Try and keep it down, huh?"

Mirajane rolled her eyes as Laxus just made a face.

"So what are you going to do about that?" he asked. "'cause-"

"I think," Mira said slowly. "That I'm not going to do anything."

"What? You?"

"Me,' she agreed, moving to drop Nathan on the ground once more. "For once, I'm not going to get involved. Whatever bad attitude Lisanna's been running around with is her own business. Not mine. And I can't control her life anymore than I can Elfman's."

"So next time he comes home crying about Evergreen-"

"I will offer up any advice I can, but I won't go and speak to her for him anymore."

"Wait, you do that?"

Mira only continued. "And whatever mystery friend Lisanna's been hanging out with, I'm not going to snoop into. She can tell me about it when she's ready."

He blinked. "That's really big of you, Mirajane."

"Mmmhmm."

"And almost out of character."

"I'm a new person now, Laxus. It's been a year of me caring for a child," she said. "It's time for me to focus more on him. And you. I want our life to be my main focus. Not that I don't care about what's going on with Elfman and Lisanna, because I do, but they're grown."

"They are."

"And so am I," she continued. "I've spent my whole life looking out for them. But they clearly don't need me anymore. Not like they did before."

"So-"

"So I'm moving out," she said then, staring him right in the eyes. His only widened.

"Mirajane-"

"And if the offer is still on the table, I'd like to move in with you. With Nathan."

He knew then, evening the microseconds that he had to reply, that if he tripped up, if his tongue got tied, that he'd lose his chance. And after only less than an hour before hating her and thinking she was horrible for saying those things about his father, he knew that he loved her regardless.

And he wanted her with him. Forever.

"Yeah," he found himself saying, not thinking about it for more than a few moments. "Yeah, Mira. Of course. I want you guys there. Tonight even. Or whenever."

She smiled slightly. "I love you, Laxus."

Nodding slightly, he swallowed before saying, "I love you too."


	23. Chapter 23

Parenthood

Chapter 23

"It's really pretty out tonight."

Bickslow only let out a slight breath. "I don't use the word pretty."

"You do now," Lisanna challenged. "Say it. It's pretty outside."

"Lisanna-"

"Say it."

"It's pretty outside," he mumbled as Lisanna only giggled.

They were out on another one of their adventures, one even further from Magnolia than ever before. He had just gotten back from a job and wanted to decompress. That's how he put it at least. He'd been off with just Freed and Ever and, even though he loved them, he needed some time away.

"Don't you ever do that, Lisanna?" he'd asked. "Go away for awhile?"

"No," she told him. "Never."

"Well…I wanna get away for at least three days," he told her as they walked around the city, him having arrived at the guild just as she was leaving it. They had perfect timing, after all, with one another. Or so it seemed. They rarely sought out the other. Never, really. They just…cross paths. Constantly. "And I want you to come with me."

"I don't have money for a hotel."

"I'll buy you a room."

"No," she sighed as he only glanced down at her.

"No," his babies mimicked. They repeated her words as well now. She was just as much fun as Papa. "No."

"Why not?" he asked. "I can just book us two rooms. Or we can share one. Promise I won't drug you and have my way with you."

She blinked. Then she stuck her tongue out at him as he only snickered and looked back ahead once more.

"You buy me everything," she said. "I feel like I'm using you. You pay for my train tickets and my food and-"

"We're friends. That's what friends do for each other," he said with a shrug. "You don't make a lot. And what you do make goes to helping your sister or brother out with bills and stuff. But I just got me and the babies. So I can pay for us to do shit. It's fine."

She didn't know why, but she blushed slightly then before looking off.

"Well," she said slowly. "I just don't want you to pay for me to-"

"Then let's not stay in a hotel."

"Huh?"

"Let's go campin'," he said, looking back down at her then, tongue falling form his mouth in excitement.

"What?"

"Yeah. You like campin'?"

"I don't go that often. Or ever, recently, but-"

"I can get us packs and sleeping bags and it'll be great!"

So that was how they wound up there, in a forest that Lisanna was completely unfamiliar with. He seemed to know it, though, honestly, sometimes she wondered if he was just bullshitting her. If she was to believe him, he knew every place they'd ever been together like the back of his hand. It was crazy.

But even if he was lying, she didn't mind. She felt safe with him around.

They'd brought sleeping bags with them, but they weren't using them. They were still rolled up on top of their packs, both too lazy to unwrap them. Then they'd only have to put them back on in the morning.

"Where are we gonna go tomorrow?" Lisanna asked him as they rested against one another. He was flat on his back as she laid the opposite way, her head resting against his side, making a T with their bodies. "Bickslow?"

"Mmmm." He just laid there, watching the stars above them indolently. "Wherever you want. I thought we'd go down to the river in the morning, catch some fish for the day, and then go find a new place to make camp."

"Sounds good," she agreed. His babies were strewn around them, two of them up on their father's chest, another two on Lisanna's stomach, and one laying on the ground next to them. They were all relaxed and it was only the first day. "You're good at catching fish, huh?"

"No," he said slowly. "I thought you were."

"I thought you-"

"What exactly are you bringing to the table, kid?"

"Bickslow."

He only snickered, shutting his eyes. He wasn't wearing his helmet and the slight wind that was blowing felt good against his face. Sometimes it got stuffy with that visor on.

"I'll catch us some fish, Lissy," he told her then. He called her that sometimes. She really liked it. "But only if you tell me some scary stories to help me drift off."

"Then that's what I bring to the table, huh? The stories?"

"Yep. So get to it."

"I don't know any scary stories."

"Huh. Didn't plan for this," he said. "Or did I?"

"Did you?"

"I brought a book," he told her, lifting one of his hands to point over at their packs. "It has some stories about people the got murdered on camping trips and fathers that went crazy and killed their families. There's even one story about a cannibal in there."

"Gross."

"Gross," he agreed.

"Go get it. So we can both be scared and you can protect me."

"If I get up, the only thing I'm getting out of there is my pack of smokes," he grumbled. "Haven't lit up in hours."

"You want me to get 'em?"

He only grunted. "Too comfortable. Aren't you?"

"I guess so."

"You don't even smoke, do you?" he asked. "You never take a cigarette when I offer you one."

"I've never tried it."

"Well, don't," he grumbled. "Addictive as fuck."

"Is that all you smoke?"

He blinked. Then he tilted his head to look down at her. "What are you asking me?"

"Bickslow."

"What?" He was snickering already though as she only blushed. "Are you trying to get me to get you high, kid?"

"I just-"

"What would Mirajane think? Or Natsu? Or Lucy? Or…I don't know any of your other friends, but I'm sure they'd be ashamed." He clicked his tongue. "And I'm offended that you think that I-"

"So you don't have anything?"

"Oh, no, I do." He slipped out from under her then, her head hitting the ground as she wasn't expecting that. She only sat up some though, frowning as he knocked the babies on he chest gently off. They were dormant though, all of them, and didn't seem to mind. She wasn't sure where they went when they got like that, as she was pretty sure that spirits didn't go to sleep, but he never seemed concerned.

"Give me a sec," he sighed as he went over to his bag. "Lissy."

She set the babies on her chest on the ground too, moving to sit up. "What do you have?"

"Does it matter?"

"I don't have to, like, shoot myself up or something, do I?"

He stilled, over by the bag. Then he glanced back at her. "What exactly do you think I use, kid?"

"I don't know," she said, blushing. "I just-"

"It's just something to smoke." He went back to what he was doing. "That's all."

"I always figured that you did something," she said. "You're always so keyed up and stuff."

"It's nothing serious," he said. "But don't go telling your brother and sister that I'm giving you this. They treat you like a baby. And I know how he is. He'll try and squish my head."

"Squish your head?"

"Between his big hands," he said as she saw a slight flame in the darkness. He had lit a match. "Just smash my head to bits."

"You're crazy."

"Maybe."

The night went on from there, of course, with him eventually coming back over to her, snickering at the face she made after she took a hit from the lit paper he'd handed her.

"That's horrible," she complained, coughing. "Why-"

"You'll get there, kid," he said simply as he sat back down next to her. "Now I believe I was promised some stories."

She only pushed up from the ground and went over to her own pack to grab her bottle of water and wash the taste of out of her mouth. Yuck.

"I told you that I don't know any stories," she said once she was back to him, easily falling into her spot of laying her head against his side.

"Any scary stories," he corrected. "But there has to be something that we haven't talked about yet."

"I feel like we've talked about everything."

"We've talked about nothing," he told her, tone dark. Taking a moment out to inhale some of…whatever it was that he had given her, he laughed slightly. "We don't ever talk about when we were kids."

"Like…when we were teenagers?" she asked. "And knew each other? Or before?"

"Either or," he said. "I mean, we didn't really know each other anyhow."

"Yeah, because you were a jerk and wouldn't ever talk to me."

"Whatever. Like you ever tried to talk to me."

"I did!"

"When?"

"Well, I don't know, Bickslow, but-"

"Then how do you know-"

"Because I know," she insisted. Then, maybe it was whatever he'd given her, but she found herself saying something that totally was meant to be kept private for, oh, ever. "I, like, had the biggest crush on you when we first got to the guild."

"What?"

The air had a chill to it that night, but she felt warm. She wished that they'd started a fire or something. It would have been easy. He had matches. Maybe then she could have lied and said it was the heat from that that had her feeling so odd.

But nope. It was her cheeks flaming all on their own. Err, not on their own. Definitely with the help her of admission.

"It was stupid," she said as he cackled. "And it was only until I was, like, fourteen or fifteen. Then-"

"Then you died, Lissy," he said, voice not as solemn as it usually was when they mentioned that. "You totally were in love with me up until then, right?"

"Wrong. I never said that I loved you," she grumbled. "I was young. And stupid."

"Obviously."

"Bickslow-"

"You used to love me," he taunted. "You used to-"

"I said I had a crush," she told him. "I used to have crushes on tons of people."

"Like who?"

"Well…Natsu."

"Yeah, yeah, I've heard about that before." And he had. They'd discussed how much she wanted to be with him many times. "But I ain't ever heard about how much you liked me. Tell me about it, huh?"

"No. I-"

"Come on, Lisanna." He exhaled then, his smoke looking deformed and distorted. Her head felt funny. He was passing her the paper then again, letting her take her own puff. It wasn't so bad that time, but still made her cough. "Tell me. And I'll tell you something too."

When she settled against his side once more, she paused before saying, "It was just… You, Freed, and Laxus were so cool. And Ever too, I guess, but most everyone other than you guys thought that she was bratty and was scared that she'd turn us to stone for saying so. But you were, like, I don't know…bad, I guess."

"Bad, huh?"

"Yeah," she said, giggling slightly. "You're what? Five years older than me?"

"I guess so."

"It was just something stupid," she said. "You could make things, like toys and stuff, come to life and make them move around or could possess people and make them do whatever you wanted. That was cool. And then you were friends with Laxus, and he was bad in a major way. He broke all the rules and stuff and…and you were there too. And when you started wearing your helmet, you looked so cute. I just…"

"Cute?" Snort. "I don't look cute. I look fearsome!"

"Your dolls were pretty cute too," she told him.

"We're not cute," he insisted. "We're fearsome!"

"No, you're cute."

"Was cute."

"Yeah," she sighed, shutting her eyes. "You were cute."

"I don't think I remember you much from when we were younger," he said. "I just thought of you as…well…a kid. I mean, like you said. We are five years apart."

"What do you think of me now?"

He took another few moments to inhale before saying, "You're still a kid."

"I am not," she said with an air of annoyance. "I'm just as grown as-"

"It's not always a bad thing, Lissy, to be young," he told her. "I feel old sometimes. I am old, I guess, when you add in those seven years."

"So am I though."

"You still look young though," he kept up. "I mean, me? I just look like…like…"

"You look just as cute as you ever did." Man, he must have given her truth serum or something. "With your helmet and…and… You still act like a kid. Like a really mean kid, sometimes, but still a kid."

"You do too," he told her then, softly. "When you're happy. But man, when you're mad, you sure are bratty."

He expected her to rise to the bait at that one, complain about how she wasn't a brat, the rest of them just got on her nerves. That everyone else was changing and expected her to as well. They'd go over that about every single time she went on a Natsu spiel.

But she didn't say anything. Only laid there for a moment before saying, "I am pretty bad, aren't I?"

"That's not what I meant."

"That is what you meant."

"It is not. How do you know what I meant? If I didn't even really mean anything at all?" With the hand that wasn't holding the joint, he reached down to rest his hand on her head. It was a rather awkward position for both of them, but she didn't resist or anything. "You're fine how you are, Lisanna. To me at least. I don't care 'bout what anyone else says. So you shouldn't either. Me and the babies want you here. Don't we, ba- Oh yeah."

She couldn't help it as she giggled slightly. He had that affect on her.

"I hate when they're not up," he grumbled, letting his hand fall from her head then and onto the grass beneath them. Then, he took another puff, before saying, "So about these stories-"

"That was a story."

"That was no story, Lissy, and you know it."

"I thought you said that you were going to tell me one. If I told you that?"

"I said I'd tell you something," he corrected. She didn't know how he was still so intact. She felt like her head was swimming. "So ask me something and I'll tell it to you."

"Mmmm…" She was coming up blank. Then, suddenly, something just fell out of her mouth.

"Who taught you all those cool tricks?"

"My magic?"

"No," she said. "All those other things that you do," she corrected. "The…you know, the way that you can do flips and balance on things. Or hang upside down from-"

"My mother."

"Oh."

"So now that I told you something, you have to tell me a stor-"

"What happened to her?"

He frowned, glancing down at her. "To who?"

"Your mother, Bickslow."

There was a pause, probably him taking another hit, before saying, "She died."

"O-Oh. I'm sorry, I just-"

"When I was a kid. My father too."

"I mean, I always assumed, but… I shouldn't have said that. I-"

"It's whatever," he said, almost casually. "Yours are dead too, right?"

"Y-Yeah. Since I was young."

"It's just a thing," he said. "I think practically everyone's parents are dead that we know. Maybe it's a curse."

"Maybe."

"Better warn Laxus and Mirajane," he said with a slight yawn.

"I think all of the guys in Laxus' family make it out okay. And Mira's not really Nate's mom, so she's fine."

"Ever told me that Laxus told her that Mirajane wants to get pregnant again. Real soon."

For some reason, that made Lisanna's stomach hurt. It matched her head.

"Yeah," she whispered. "They're moving in together. She's already started moving out."

"Why's it bother you so much?" he asked. "That your sister's with Laxus? He ain't so bad. He-"

"Shut up, Bickslow. You just have, like, this big hardon for him and-"

"I'm not even talking from my perspective," he said. "I just mean that he's real nice to Mira. And the kid. So why-"

"I don't know. I don't wanna talk about this."

"We don't gotta," he sighed. "I just meant… Laxus isn't so bad. I know that he's real mean to you now, but he just expects you to be mean back. That's all. And you know that Mirajane'll always be your sister, so-"

"I said that I don't-"

"Okay, okay," he sighed. "Tell me a story then."

So she thought hard before just talking, really nonsense, until he finished his smoke and declared it time to sleep. Neither moved to get their sleeping bags though. They slept just like that.

Lisanna figured she wouldn't mind if that's how they slept for the rest of the trip.

* * *

><p>"I'm so bored," Natsu complained as he laid with his head against the bar, him and Happy waiting for Kinana to give them their orders of fish. "Like super bored."<p>

"Awe," Mirajane giggled as Laxus, who was seated further down the bar, only took to glaring at him. "Where's Lucy?"

"She and Erza are with Levy doing something. And Wendy. They said that I can't come," Natsu complained. "Because I'm a guy. Isn't that, like, racism or something?"

"Sexism, but sure," Kinana said as she set a plate in front of him and his feline friend. That perked them both back up, if only for the moment.

"Is Lisanna with them?" Mirajane asked as Natsu only shrugged, his mouth full.

"I haven't seen her in awhile," he said. "She keeps blowing me and Luce off. Even when she said she'd hangout, she doesn't show up."

Mira frowned at that. "Yeah, she's been hanging out with some different people or something. I dunno. She won't talk to me about it."

Laxus suddenly became very interested in his son, who was seated in his lap. He really, really didn't want to be the one to rat out Bickslow and Lisanna. He didn't know why they were hiding their relationship or if they even were really hiding it.

Maybe Lisanna was just purposely trying to worry her sister? Did girls do that? He felt like they did. Sometimes Ever wouldn't talk to Freed or Bickslow, just so they would pester her and find out what was wrong, even though it was usually nothing. If she was feeling underappreciated or something. He figured that it was the same thing.

After Natsu and Happy took off, claiming that they were going to bother the girls anyhow, because racism was wrong (Mira only reminded him again that it was sexism before sending him on his way), Evergreen showed up with Elfman.

"Hey, Elf," Mira greeted as they sat way too close to Laxus for his liking. At least it was Evergreen that was closest to him and not her stupid bozo of a boyfriend. After he returned her greeting, Mira got down to what she really wanted to know about. "Have you seen Lisanna recently? I haven't since I started moving all of my stuff out and-"

"I saw her two days ago," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I was gonna go stay the night at Ever's and asked her to feed the dog that night. And she told me fine, but she had plans too, the next few days, and couldn't. That it was your dog and your job."

Mira only blinked while Laxus leaned down and nuzzled against Nathan's head, making the boy giggle. He was hoping that by eliciting that sound he would get Mira's attention back onto the toddler and off her sister.

No such luck.

"Then you haven't seen her since then?"

"Na-ah. I figured that she was staying with Lucy or something," Elfman said. "Ever and I have been over to the house a few times and she hasn't been around. I have to go over to feed the dog."

Her frown deepened. "But Natsu said that she didn't… Do you think that she took a job?"

"Alone? No way. She knows that if we go somewhere, we go together," Elfman said, flexing. Ever only rolled her eyes.

"I thought you said that the other day that she had a new guy that she was hanging around?" she asked Mirajane who only shrugged. "She's probably with him."

"But for days?"

"Well."

"M-Maybe I should go look for her," Mirajane said slowly as she glanced around. "Kinana, there's not a lot of people. Do you think-"

"Sure, Mira," she said. "I-"

"Wait," Laxus groaned as Elfman too stood to go seek out his younger sister. He really didn't want to play into them, but he also didn't want Mirajane panicking over nothing. "I might, kinda, sorta know where your sister is, Mira. Maybe."

"Where?" She cocked her head to the side as Elfman only frowned, glaring over at him suspiciously. "Did she tell you or-"

"No," he said slowly. "I…caught her and Bickslow a few weeks ago."

"Bickslow?"

"Caught them?" Ever's eyes widened, always one for gossip. "Caught them doing-"

"Nothing like that," he said, shooting her a warning glance. "At least I don't think. They just…hangout together. Go to plays and stuff."

"Like a date?" Evergreen couldn't help it. She was giggling just from the thought. "You're sure?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "She goes over to his apartment a lot. I really don't think that they're dating though. Just… I don't know. But that's probably where she is. So-"

"That can't be right," they heard then as Freed came over to them. He was glaring at Evergreen though. "And you were late for our training session today."

"Training- Then you know where Bickslow is?" Mira grinned at him, but the green haired man only shook his head.

"No. Not exactly. It was just supposed to be between me and Ever," he said. "Because Bickslow's gone out of town.'

"Where?" Elfman grumbled. He really didn't like what Ever had been suggesting. It was one thing for Mira and Laxus to…to… But Lisanna? And…and… And anyone really! It made his head ache. "Where did he go?"

"Elf," Ever whispered, reading his tone. "Just-"

"He was going camping," Freed said with a slight shrug. "That is all I know. He bought packs and everything. I did not know that your sister was going along, Mirajane. Perhaps she has not. I-"

"No," Laxus groaned. "If he went camping, he took her with him. They've been going places for-"

"Why didn't you ever say anything?" Mira asked, glancing at him. "I mean-"

"I thought that they were keeping it from everyone. That she was embarrassed by him. I mean, Mirajane, would you tell people that you were with Bickslow?"

"She tells people she's with you," Elfman grumbled. "And I really don't see a difference. Neither of you are men. I can't believe-"

"Elfman, knock off," Ever said as she only looked to Laxus. "So tell me more about-"

"No, Ever," Freed said, reaching out to grab her arm. "You were late. Now come on. This is the only time that you and I will probably ever to get to practice without Bickslow."

"Well, now that he has the little Strauss girl, I'm sure that he'll be skipping plenty of practices."

"Yes, apparently acquiring Strausses brings that out in people, doesn't it?"

As they walked away, Mirajane found herself just staring at Laxus as Elfman requested a beer for Kinana.

"Or something stronger," he groaned as he rested his head in one of his hands. "A lot stronger."

"Why wouldn't you tell me, Laxus?" Mira asked softly, just watching him.

"Mira-"

"I mean, that's something that I should know, right? I-"

"I thought that you said that you weren't going to pry into her life anymore?"

"And when I said that, why didn't you just give me the information?"

"I don't know. What difference does it make?" he asked with a shrug. "She's fine with Bickslow. Safe. I mean, he's a little crazy, but he's harmless. Seriously."

"I don't-"

"Do you really think that I would let your sister be marched off to her death with him? Huh? She's fine. They just went…camping, apparently. Which sounds horrible. Why would they ever want to do that?"

"I don't know why my sisters do anything they do anymore," Elfman said with a frown as Kinana only giggled and set a mug in front of him. "But no one's asking me."

"That's right, Elfboy, so be quiet."

"Oh, Elfman," Mira sighed, going over to tap him gently on the head. "Lisanna had to get a boyfriend eventually. And though it's not exactly what I envisioned-"

"I didn't like those stupid models of yours either," he told her.

"-Laxus says that she's fine," Mira finished. "Which means that she is. And she better be, Laxus. Because I am now holding you responsible for whatever Bickslow does."

He widened his eyes. "That's not fair. I-"

"Wasn't it you that told me that fair is…" Then she whispered bullshit, causing Kinana to giggle once more.

"Well, yeah, but-"

"He's your bodyguard. Which means she probably got together with him when you had him over at the house or something," Mirajane said. "Though I thought that she hated him-"

"Me too," Elfman said. "She said so a thousand times. That she didn't like having him around."

"Then see? They're both crazy," Laxus insisted as Nathan only reached up to pat at his cheek, wanting him to nuzzle him again. He was a little attention hog, his son was. "I can't be held accountable for the actions of two imbeciles, can I?"

"Watch it," Elfman warned as Mira only gave him a strong gaze.

"You can and you will," she said. "That'll teach you about keeping secrets from me."

He only growled though before fishing his headphones out of his pocket. He was going to kill Lisanna and Bickslow. And then he was going to figure out how to bring them back to life because, apparently, if they die, it's his fault.

Wasn't Bickslow supposed to be _his_ bodyguard? Fairness is a bunch of bullshit.

"He's getting a pay deduction," Laxus grumbled to Nathan who giggled. "Now I just gotta start paying him. And take it away! Show him to mess with me, huh?"

Nathan only sat up taller though and said, "Kiss, Laxus."

"No, brat," he grumbled. "I told you that men don't-"

"Kiss!"

"Oh, Laxus," Mirajane complained as she got back to work. "Just give him a kiss."

"No."

"Behave."

"I am behaving. He's the one-"

"Elf," Nathan called then, reaching out for the man to take him. "Elf."

And even though he was having a horrible day, Elfman only reached over to take the child from Laxus, who was more than willing to give him up if it was getting him nagged by Mirajane.

The muscular man only pressed a kiss to the kid's head without request, making Nathan giggle and snuggle closer.

Laxus shot him a look.

"Sure lookin' manly today, Elfboy."

"I'm liable to teach you what a real man is today, you keep pushing me," he grumbled, glaring right back. Nathan just held fast to Elfman though, as always, taking the time out to stick his tongue out at Laxus. Bickslow had taught him that and he loved doing it. Especially to Laxus because it just made him so mad.

"Mira! He sticking his tongue out at me again."

"You deserve it for not telling me about-"

"You always say I deserve it."

"Well."

"Well?"

Growling, he stood up and headed off to his usual table. You try to do something nice, sit up at the bar, give your girlfriend some company, and what does she do? Take it out on you that her little sister is a freak and likes to bang men with face tattoos and who play with dolls.

Exactly how is that his fault?


	24. Chapter 24

Parenthood

Chapter 24

It was the middle of the day when Mirajane found herself seated at her (soon to be former) kitchen table, finishing up icing Nathan's birthday cake. Evergreen was seated there as well, flipping through a magazine while waiting for her (not) boyfriend to finish his shower so they could go out to lunch.

The day had actually been quite peaceful for the both of them. That all came to an end though as the backdoor opened and in walked Lisanna, a bag over her shoulders and looking mighty tired for it to only be a little over noon.

Ever looked up at her entrance, but Mirajane was finishing icing the cake, and didn't glance up until she was almost out of the room.

"Mmmm, Lisanna," she said after she licked the knife she'd just finished using, the taste of frosting still lingering on her tongue as she said her next words. "When were you going to tell me that you were having sex with Bickslow?"

She stopped at the, Lisanna did, as Evergreen only widened her eyes and shut her magazine. She knew if she stayed around them long enough, some sort of drama would stir up. Everyone thought that the Strauss siblings were the most mild-mannered, behaved people of the entire guild, but she knew better. Ooh, she knew better.

"W-What are you-"

"I mean, I'm not saying that I want details," Mirajane said as she sat the knife on the table, glancing at her sister then. "But I thought that I would be the first to know. Tell me, have we really fallen that out of sync?"

She turned then, to stare over at them, stuttering as she said, "I-I haven't…we… Who told you?"

"Does it matter?" Standing then, she picked up the cake pan and headed over to set it on the counter. "I'm a little hurt, actually, that you didn't think-"

"We're not… We're just friends. I don't-"

"Once upon a time, you and Natsu were just friends too."

"And we still are! And always have been. We just-"

"Just, what, Lisanna?"

"I don't know why you're-"

"Where did he take you?" She turned to look back at her once more. "Lisanna? And where have you been before? With him? When you weren't telling me-"

"I don't have to tell you anything. I-"

"I'm not saying that you do." With a sigh, she went to take a seat at the table once more. "And I'm not saying that I want you to. But pretty soon, I'm going to be living with Laxus. And you're going to be here or…somewhere, and things are going to be different. Things are already different. And if you like it this way, fine. I don't… I'm not going to force you to be close to me, to still talk to me about things. But just know that I do care. A lot. Even if I'm with Laxus or taking care of Nate or just… I love you, Lisanna. Forever. So if you ever want to talk to me, you can. Promise. And I'm sorry I made you feel like I couldn't."

Ever glanced between them then, waiting for Lisanna to respond or storm off. Something. Instead, they were all just startled by a deeper cadence from the doorway of the kitchen.

"And you can go ahead and never tell me any of that," Elfman groused as he came further into the room. "Ever. Either of you. I'd rather not think about that. And camping, Lisanna? With some sick freak that turned Mirajane to stone once?"

Ever blushed at that as Mira looked very pointedly at her.

"Actually, Elfman," she said as she folded her arms over her chest. "I think that was another member of the Thunder-"

"We're going to be late for lunch." Ever jumped right up, taking her magazine with her as she went to grab Elfman's arm. He was staring at Lisanna though, who blushed.

"I didn't… You guys are all totally off," she said, looking back at Mirajane. "We didn't…sleep together."

"You went camping with an older guy without telling us, Lisanna," her sister said as Elfman continued to stare. "And by the way, those red eyes are a new look. Something we should get used to?"

"I-"

"You do reek of it," Ever told her softly. "I mean, honestly."

"We didn't…have sex though, so-"

"I'm confused," Elfman said, glancing over at Mirajane. "Why do your eyes get red after sex?"

Ever snickered while Mira rolled her eyes.

"You're grown, Lisanna," she said, turning to walk out of the room. "Do whatever you want. I just thought that we wouldn't drift apart like this. I-"

It was then, not even able to finish her next sentence, that she just stopped talking, all because Lisanna hard rushed past Elfman, who was being explained the drug reference from before by Ever, and over to her older sister. She only threw her arms around her from behind, pulling her to a stop.

"I didn't sleep with Bickslow," she whispered. "It's not even like that. We just… You guys are, like, planning for your futures and stuff without me. You're going to be with Laxus and Elfman's either gonna kill Ever or she's going to kill him or something-"

"Hey," Elfman complained

"Well," Ever sighed.

"-and it's just not fair," Lisanna sniffled. "What about me?"

"Lisanna." Mirajane wiggled out of her grasp before turning around to face her. She reached out to cup her cheek with one hand, smiling at her slightly. "You're always our little sister. You know that. Me and Elf would never leave you behind. Even if he does get murdered by Evergreen."

"Why do I have to be the one that dies?" Elfman griped

"Well." Ever patted his shoulder.

"We love you," Mira told her. "And I know that I've been a crap sister recently, but… I really do love Laxus. And Nathan. And my life's changing fast, but that doesn't mean that I'll ever leave you out of it."

"You don't even want to hangout anymore. No one does."

"Expect Bickslow," Mira finished for her. Lisanna only stared at her.

"We're friends."

"Mmmm." She kissed her head then before taking a step back. "You don't have to tell me now. I know that you weren't going to. I just… I wish that you would tell me, when you're going somewhere."

"I'm not a-"

"You're not," she agreed. "And I'm not Mom. I never will be. But… I lost you, Lisanna. Me and Elf both did. No matter how old you get, that's never going to go away. Just promise me that you won't take off for another week again without-"

"It was only supposed to be three days," she admitted. "But we just…"

"Got high and forgot, apparently."

"Ever." Mira made a face at her, but she just shrugged. The moment was lost and instead of a big blow up, the woman of stone was given a touching family moment.

It made her want to vomit.

No, vomiting was gross. It made her hungry.

"Let's go to lunch, El- Elfman!"

But it was too late. He was sobbing then, those big tears of his, as he rushed to go hug both his sisters. Ever knew too, had for a long time, that she could become whatever she wanted to him.

It didn't matter.

He'd always love them more.

Actually, she was pretty okay with that.

"I'm going to get lunch now," she said after a moment. "And you can either stay here, Elfman, or come with me like a real man. Either way, I don't really care."

He couldn't let go of his sister though as Mira only snuggled him back, Lisanna though was being squished and was trying desperately to break his grip.

"You better go," Mirajane giggled as she finally did break free off him, letting Lisanna loose too, who took to breathing deeply. "Before she starts plotting that murder of yours."

"I just love you guys so much," he said as he wiped at his eyes.

"We love you too," Lisanna told him, grinning. "But try not crushing us to death next time we see each other, huh?"

He ruffled her hair then, which she never rightly liked, before rushing off. Mirajane only waved and reminded him that the next day was Nathan's birthday party, at the house, and that he better be there. Then it was just the two of them again.

"I don't know if you've noticed," Mirajane said as she moved to wrap an arm around Lisanna's shoulders, who only stared up at her. "But it's kinda Nate's birthday tomorrow."

She wanted to roll her eyes, but it felt so nice, having her sister hold her again, so she only said, "Yeah, Mira, I've noticed."

"You almost missed it."

"Well, I didn't," she told her sister. "And where is Nathan anyhow?"

"Hmmm?"

"Isn't he normally, like, hanging off you constantly?"

"Mmmhmm," she agreed. "But I was making his cake and didn't want him to be around to see it, so I sent him home with Laxus."

"Oh."

"But now that I'm done with that, maybe," she began slowly, glancing down at Lisanna. "Maybe we could…talk some? About anything? It doesn't have to be-"

"I'd like that," Lisanna cut her off, smiling up at her sister. "I'd like it a lot, actually."

* * *

><p>"Huh." Laxus stared at the book, taking in the picture depicted on it. "This is kinda strange here. Almost like bestiality or something. Not sure how this is a children's book, but apparently, this bookkeeper is in love with this…werewolf. Did not see it taking such turn."<p>

Nathan, who was snuggled up in bed with his father, only reached out to pat the pages of the oversized book, grinning. "Daddy."

He called Laxus that sometimes, after Mirajane's insistence about it. But he made it sound more like 'doddy' or something and it was only randomly, him always bouncing back and forth between that and the man's name.

Mira told him that if he wanted Nathan to grow up and forget that there was ever a time when he hadn't wanted him, when he wasn't around, then he should start having him call him by something other than his name.

"This is kinda strange," Laxus mumbled as Nathan only tried to turn the page, not waiting for him to actually read the words on it. "I mean, I put up with some of the things in children's books, but I don't want you thinking it's okay to, like, have sex with a dog or something."

Nathan only whined until he changed the page. His father was still rather apprehensive about the whole thing though, until they got to the end.

"Oh. So he's human again. Huh. Still weird."

"New 'ook," Nathan announced.

"Yeah, we're probably gonna burn this one," Laxus sighed as he slipped out of bed, taking the picture book with him over to his bookcase. He had a little space there, for all of Nathan's children's book. "I think we've read all the others though, buddy."

"'ook."

"Alright, alright, you little brat," he grumbled. "Just so you know, Mira ain't here. You keep hounding me and you might get a little pop in the mouth, huh?"

That was a lie, of course, and Nathan just ignored him as he crawled across the bed and over to the edge.

"Down," he complained before just jumping down himself. Laxus was still glaring at the bookshelf though, looking for a children's book that wouldn't completely make him want to kill himself. Or that wasn't totally disgusting.

"Where you going, brat?" he grumbled as Nathan only patted him on the leg before toddling off, headed to the bathroom. "Your little potty's in the guest bathroom, kid. C'mere."

He was busy once again going over prop bathroom etiquette to Nathan (little boys were disgusting, he didn't remember being that disgusting), when he heard the front door open.

"Are you guys here?"

"In the bathroom," Laxus grumbled, Mira quickly coming to appear in the doorway.

"Did you use the potty like a big boy, Nate?" she asked excitedly, ready to praise him.

"Yes," Nathan said, grinning over at her as Laxus only shook his head.

"We almost made it."

So that took some time, getting Nate all clean again, before they were all able to settle down again.

"Hey, Mira?" Laxus asked as they headed to the living room, Nathan happily rushing over to the spot that he'd left some of his toys at, wanting Mirajane to follow.

"Hmmm?"

"Since when is it okay to have sex with animals?"

"…Are you drunk? Because-"

"No." He fell into the couch as Mira went to go play with their toddler. "I was reading him one of those children's books and… You should just read it. It's totally bonkers."

"I'll look into it," Mira said slowly, glancing at him before shaking her head. He was pretty crazy when he was left alone with Nate for awhile. She figured it was the lack of adult conversation. "Nate, do you know what tomorrow is?"

"Bir'day."

"Yep!" Mirajane giggled when he started clapping his hands. "You're so smart. You just love your birthday, don't you?"

"Yes." He went back to his toys. "Mira."

"Mmmm." She glanced back over at Laxus once more. "Guess who got home today."

"Your sister?"

"Mmmhmm."

"Where-"

"Apparently," Mirajane said as she let Nathan ram one of his toy cars into her leg. "Your little bodyguard spent the week getting my little sister high and taking her on magical hikes through a forest."

He bit his tongue. Literally.

"Mirajane-"

"Remember when I told you that you were responsible for-"

"I'm sure they were fine."

"Fine? Laxus-"

"So they did a little…whatever. Who cares? Lisanna's grown. She can-"

"For some reason, Laxus, and this might just be me being a tad crazy," she went on, "but for some reason, I don't like the idea of Lisanna being stoned with some guy that can force her to do anything that he wants."

"He wouldn't-"

"Why would I know that? Huh?"

"I'll talk to him, okay? I-"

"No, don't," Mira groaned. "Lisanna and I talked and she doesn't want me and Elf…you know. Babying her anymore."

"She says that constantly," he pointed out. "What's gonna make you suddenly-"

"I don't know, Laxus. I just… I don't ever want to lose her again. I can't."

That fell between them for a few moment before Nathan decided that he was being, once again, underappreciated and began demanding kisses and hugs from Mirajane. With a sigh, she leaned down to do so.

"If you want me to make Bickslow stop seeing her," Laxus said after just watching them for a minute (yes, a literal minute, as Nate needed tons of attention, practically constantly), "then I can. He'll do whatever I tell him to. And I'll make it to where it doesn't seem like it has anything to do with you."

"I don't want that either," Mira sighed as she let Nathan go. He only moved to climb into her lap. "I want… I don't know, Laxus. I really don't like her smoking with him though."

"You don't even let her drink."

"For good reason."

"Mirajane-"

"It's hard letting go."

"I know. I-"

"No, you don't," she grumbled as she only took to snuggling Nathan closer. He made her feel a little better. "You've never had this in your life. You only care about yourself."

"I-"

"I meant cared," she mumbled as Nathan turned his head up to give her a kiss as well. If he loved being loved by Mirajane, he also loved loving her. "You care about me and Nate now, fine, but… It's just not the same. I've been taking care of Lisanna since I was a kid. And now she suddenly just doesn't want me to? I mean…what happens when Nate gets like that?"

He only stared at her for a moment. "Uh, Mira? I really don't see that happening any time soon."

She smiled slightly as Nathan yawned, still snuggling up to her.

"Still. It will eventually."

"Yeah, but…I'll always want you to clean up after me and make me food and stuff. If that helps."

Rolling her eyes, Mira only said, "Yeah, Lax. That helps lots."

"And my laundry. 'cause…I did that thing again? Where all my white shirts are now tinted blue-"

"You have to separate-"

"Your words make no sense to me!"

With a sigh, she released Nathan who only slid out of her lap and went back to playing, all filled up on attention for the time being. With the two of them to take care of, maybe she wouldn't even miss taking care of Lisanna.

Maybe.

* * *

><p>"Kid!" Bickslow opened his door wider to let her enter. "What are you doin' here? Me and the babies were in bed."<p>

"I dunno," she said as she came further into the apartment. "I just got…bored."

"Me too." He let her in before shutting the door again. "Wish we'd stayed another day or something, out in the woods."

"Me too."

All the lights were out in his apartment and it was pretty dark. She could hear the babies in the bedroom, conversing with one another. Err, really just making noises. They did that a lot.

"I was gonna have a smoke and then pass out," Bickslow said as Lisanna followed him over to the couch, curious. He only pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket though. Noting her disappointed face, he said, "I told you that we went through all the shit I had on our trip. Give me a few days, huh? And I'll get us some more."

"I wasn't-"

"It was obvious."

"Whatever."

He snickered as he pulled a lighter out as well. "You wanna go out or something? I seriously was going to go to bed."

"I already slept," she said. "The second we got in."

"That was like, what? Four hours ago?"

"I guess I don't sleep that much."

"I'm beat," he said before taking a deep suck of his cigarette. He'd run out of them while they had been camping and clearly was glad to have some back. He had warned her that they were addictive, after all. "But if you wanna do something, we can."

"No. I shouldn't have come by. I just-"

"Lisanna!"

The babies had heard her voice, apparently, and were coming from the bedroom then, rushing over to the couch to greet her.

"Lisanna," they all sang, some landing in her lap, the others floating around their heads. "Lisanna."

"They missed you, huh? After only a few hours," he said as he blew his smoke away from her. "Kept complaining, thinking that you were coming over. And look! Now you have. Lissy missed you guys too, I think."

"A little," she admitted with a giggle. "It just felt weird when I laid down to go to bed. It was…quiet."

"The woods are a great place, huh?" He patted her on the head. "We can go there again, eventually. I'm probably going on some more jobs here, real soon."

"With Freed and Ever?"

"Yeah, probably."

"You think you'll be gone a lot?"

She got another pat on the head. She didn't hate it as much when he did it.

"Tell you what," he said as he got to his feet. "When I get back, we can go wherever you want. It's your turn to choose."

"I actually kinda came over to ask if you were going to Nathan's party tomorrow."

"Party, huh? For what?"

"His birthday, Bickslow."

"Shit." He glanced back at her, cigarette in one hand as he stared at her. "I didn't get him a gift. Did you?"

"I was going to go find something today."

"Put my name on it, huh? From the best uncle and aunt ever, yeah?" Then he continued on into his bedroom. "You gonna come in here or what?"

Slowly, she went to follow him. "What are you doing?"

"I told you," he grumbled as he laid out on his bed, pulling off his shirt first, though he left his jeans on. The room was so small that it practically took up all the space. "I'm going to sleep. Come lay down if you're staying."

She only stared at him for a second before shaking her head. "No. I should probably go. I'll see you tomorrow, huh? At the party?"

"Sure, kid. Till then."

After she took off, he and the babies slept for about an hour or so, but the sound of knocking once again woke them.

"This is some shit," he grumbled as he got out of bed, pulling his pack of smokes out once again. As he made it to the door though, he took to saying, "You know, kid, I'm just gonna have to make you a damn key if- Ah, boss. What-"

"I told you, Bickslow," Laxus growled as he opened the door, "that you could fuck the Strauss girl. I never said that you were allowed to get her high to do it."

"I- Hey!"

He only took to shoving the other man, slamming the apartment door behind him. "And taking her off on some stupid trip without mentioning it to anyone-"

"I thought she told her sister or something. Did she not?"

"No."

"Well, that ain't my fault," he grumbled. "I mean, she's not a kid. Not really. So-"

"Why would you ever give her-"

"She asked for it!"

"You're so stupid," Laxus growled, shoving him one more time before just walking around him and over to his mini-fridge. "So fucking- Where's all the beer?"

"There ain't anymore," he mumbled as he only took to rubbing at his chest. He really didn't like it when Laxus was mad at him. "And hey, I'm sorry about-"

"Why did you have to smoke with her? I mean, she's hangs out with Natsu and Lucy constantly. It's not like they're-"

"That's probably why she wanted to."

"You didn't have to-"

"Hey, I know," he grumbled as he went over to the couch to sit down. "Chick went through my whole supply in a week. She's an expensive one, Lissy is."

Laxus settled for grabbing a soda before going to sit down on the couch too. "Well, thanks to you I just got to spend the past hour listening to Mira come to terms with your relationship with Lisanna and then degrade it, all in the same breath."

"Hey, careful what words you throw around, man," Bickslow said as he took to focusing on his cigarette. "We ain't anything, but friends."

"You don't take women out into the woods for no reason."

"There was a reason," he said. "We're friends."

"So what? You two idiots sat around, got high, and let me guess, talked?"

"Exactly."

'"Bickslow-"

"I'm not sleeping with her," he said. "I'm not saying I wouldn't if the opportunity presented itself, but it hasn't."

"You had her all alone, away from everyone for a week and couldn't-"

"I don't think she's interested, boss."

"Why else would she hang around with you? I mean, it's not like you're that interesting."

"Words hurt," Bickslow told him as Laxus only rolled his eyes. "And besides, we have a pretty good time without sleepin' together."

"What do you do?"

"I dunno. She likes to complain about the rest of you a lot," he said. "And she likes when I take her places and throw all this bull around about things I don't understand. Like, this chick really thinks we weren't lost those last two days of our trip. Had her thinking I was taking some sort of detour out of the woods."

"You got lost with Mira's little sister?"

"But we got home, right? And she never knew any different, huh?" He shrugged. "Don't make any difference to me, I guess, what I do with her, but she's just not… I don't think she's ever been with anyone anyhow."

"What makes you say that?"

"I dunno. Just the way she talks," Bickslow said. "I think she's, like, saving it for the Salamander."

They both had a good laugh about that one, waking his babies, who came fluttering into the room to join in on the laughter. After sobering though, Laxus only shook his head.

"You do something to her though, Bickslow-"

"I know."

"No," he said. "You don't. Mira and Elfman are… Lisanna's been they're main focus for so long now that they're having a little trouble adjusting. And, well… Even if you guys are fucking or whatever, just don't screw her up too badly or nothing. I'd never hear the end of it."

"I get it."

"And get some more damn beer," Laxus grumbled as he only took to snickering again. "What do I look like? Drinking a damn soda? A kid?"

"Aye-aye, boss."

* * *

><p><strong>I was going to make the next chapter the last, but I think I'm going to extend it to thirty and end it there. Sound good? <strong>


	25. Chapter 25

Parenthood

Chapter 25

Needless to say, Nathan's party was really just a code for drinking while not at the guildhall. Because, face it, what fun is it to drink in the boring old guild all day? The same place that people drank every day?

Oh, no. They'd much rather drink at Mirajane's house and have her serve them there. Because that's all she's good for. Right?

"Wrong," Mirajane groaned as she was, once again, asked to bring someone a beer. "This is my house."

But they didn't care. And she was too kind to ever say anything. Besides, Nathan was enjoying having all the guests. He got to show Natsu (who Laxus begrudgingly allowed in) all of his toys. He really liked the Salamander for some reason. Everyone figured it was because their mental age was about the same. Because it definitely wasn't genetic.

That was the point though, for Nathan to enjoy it. And Laxus was in his element, having all of the Thunder God Tribe fawn over him.

Err, having Freed fawn over him. Elfman and Evergreen were arguing out on the back porch over something or other and Bickslow had disappeared just as soon as he arrived, as well as Lisanna.

"I don't get it, Freed," Laxus complained to him as they stood in the kitchen, away from all the others. "Why Ever and Bickslow… What's so great about Lisanna and Elfman?"

"I would question that as well, Laxus," he said, bowing his head. "But considering you possess a Strauss as well, I think that you understand."

"I don't…possess anything. Shut up!"

"R-Right," Freed stuttered, glancing up at him. "I didn't mean… You are most certainly correct. It is only that, as you can tell, it is very odd for me. Considering that you all seem to have squired a Strauss sibling and I am left in the dust."

"Yeah, well, Ever and Elfman are probably breaking up soon. Take your crack at that."

"I think I'll pass."

"Good choice."

"Na'su," they heard from the other room. It was Nathan, of course, giggling over something the other man was doing. "Na'su."

"All the people in the dang guild," Laxus grumbled as his soon took to cheering. Mirajane, who was in there at that moment, once again getting someone a beer, only came to give Laxus a kiss, much to the displeasure of Freed.

"You know," she told them both, glancing at each in turn. "You could try and go enjoy the party with the rest of us."

"I can't," Laxus said. "I don't wanna."

"And I am unable to leave Laxus side," Freed told her. "Unlike the likes of Evergreen and-"

"I can hear you!" they all three heard then yelled from the back porch.

"Fine," Freed said, amending his previous remark. "Unlike the likes of Bickslow."

"Bickslow's definitely around," Mirajane told him. "I think he and Lisanna went to her bedroom to be alone."

Laxus blinked. "Are you…okay with that?"

"Mmmhmm. Remember? I'm becoming a new person."

"Yeah, sure."

That was only part of it though. The other part stemmed from the fact that Mirajane knew nothing was going on in there. How stupid would Lisanna and Bickslow be? Most everyone was in the house at that moment.

And she was right. Lisanna, in that moment, was actually just sitting on her bed as Bickslow went through her things.

"I don't like this game."

"You sure liked it when you were the one going through my shit," Bickslow challenged. "Lisanna."

"Lisanna," the babies sang as they fluttered around. They'd already been instructed by their papa that they weren't allowed to run into anything. "Lisanna."

"Yeah, but that was because I was the one getting to find things."

"And what'd you'd find?"

"A couple jewels and a packet of gum."

"Good girl," he said as he opened another drawer. "You're such a good girl that you didn't even take anything juicy."

"What else would I have taken?" Lisanna complained. "I wasn't being as rude as you and actually going through your drawers."

"But you had the chance."

"I was showing mercy."

"You forget who I am, kid? I show no mercy."

It had all started when Lisanna got up that morning and went out to get some breakfast (Mirajane had stayed the night at Laxus') only to run into Bickslow. He had bought a thing of donuts and offered her to come back to his place to share them. Once they were there, they had to find something to do.

So he invited a game.

Finders keepers. You got two things from the others place, whatever you wanted. You just had to find it first.

She'd been too nervous to actually take anything serious. He apparently wasn't though. And when he opened her underwear drawer, she turned a shade of pink that would rival Natsu's hair.

"Bickslow!"

"I want these. You wearing a pair of these right now?"

"Knock it off!"

"I'm kiddin', kid," he said, closing the drawer without even picking up a pair. "Sheesh."

That didn't stop the blush though as she watched him, waiting for him to move over to a safer territory. He was still going through her dresser tough when there was knock at the door.

"Come in," she called out, only to be welcomed by the sight of Natsu and Lucy. They apparently had been looking for her, as they both seemed happy to see her…until they noticed the guy in the room with her.

"Hey," Natsu said, bucking up immediately. "Are you trying to rob poor Lisanna? 'cause-"

"No, Natsu," Lisanna said, blushing as she got to her feet. "He only-"

"Say." Bickslow turned then to glance at them before at Lisanna. "Now that the blonde one's in your bedroom, does that mean that I get to have her?"

"W-What?" Lucy looked to Lisanna who was only glaring at Bickslow. His helmet was resting on her bed, meaning it was easy for him to wink at her.

"If you want Lucy," they heard then as Happy fluttered in. "It's gonna cost you, um- Hey, Natsu? What's a good price for Lucy?"

"Hmmm. Well, five fish sounds a bit pricey."

"So does four."

"You guys," she complained. "Knock-"

"Three's pretty steep too."

"And, I mean, who would give us two for her."

"So-"

"Cleary-'

"Lucy's worth nothing," they both decided just to make the blonde glare at them. And boy did Natsu and Happy have a good chuckle about that one.

"Awe, come on, Luce," Natsu complained as she only hit him in the arm before turning to walk off. "We were only kidding."

"Yeah," Happy said, quick to follow. "We'd try to sell you for a thousand fish if we could. It's just that no one would buy you. I mean, who would want a Lucy?"

"You're not helping, Hap," Natsu told him before looking to Lisanna. Winking at her, he said, "Your sister wanted us to tell you that it's time to cut the cake."

"Thanks," she whispered, but he was already rushing off after his own girlfriend. That left her with Bickslow who snickered.

"Come on, Lissy," he told her. "I could have had the blonde one and it'd have drove the pink one into your arms. Isn't that the point?"

She blinked. Then she frowned at him. "Oh, so what? You want Lucy too?"

"What?"

"Whatever, Bickslow." She headed out of the room then.

"Whatever, Papa," his babies agreed, turning to follow her. He didn't even spare them a glance though as he quickly moved to grab her hand and keep her in the room with him.

"Lissy-"

"No. I don't-"

"I don't… It was joke." He let her go then, but only because he knew that she wasn't going anywhere. She was staring at him, arms finding their way over her chest, folded. "Alright? You're my friend. Not them. You know that."

He reached out then to pat her on the cheek before turning to walk off and out of the room, his babies following. Lisanna was quick to trail him as well.

She wasn't…jealous of Lucy. She'd said that enough times that it was practically her mantra. But…the thought of Bickslow wanting her too…

What was it with her? It was like everyone thought that Lucy was so great. And fine, she was. She truly, honestly was. Body and soul. But they didn't know that. They just looked at her and decided, wow, Lucy. Great. I want her. Which totally wasn't fair.

Again, not that she envious or anything, but still.

She found the others all in the kitchen as Nathan was forced to listen to them sing him happy birthday. He was mostly wiggling in Mira's arms though, whining about wanting the cake. Not that he was hating being the center of attention. Oh, no, he was digging that. He just wanted a little nibble at that cake while he was at it.

Mirajane just made everything so complicated for him. No, Nathan, she'd say. You can't eat dirt. Or no, you can't lick the dog just because he licked you. And putting foreign object in your mouth to figure out exactly what they were? Forget about it.

But she was still Mira. So he followed most of her rules. Like when she told him, once he was finally given his cake, not to make too big of a mess. He tried hard not to. Honest. But…come on. It was frosting! Next to opening presents, cake was the best thing in the world.

He got so many cool gifts that night. Laxus helped him open all of 'em too, though he'd had more than a little to drink and spent most of the party wishing for it to end so he could go to bed.

And he did. As soon as it was over, he headed off to Mira's room to nap. Which left her to clean up.

"I don't think that you appreciate, Nathan, all that I do for you," Mirajane complained as he only spent time introducing all his new stuffed animals to his old ones, there in the middle of the living room floor, seemingly oblivious to Mirajane as she gathered up all the trash lain around.

"Mira," he complained, annoyed that she was, once again, bothering him. He loved her, she was his favorite person, but sometimes… He kinda liked how Laxus would just let him do his own thing. Eat whatever he wanted, break whatever he pleased, and if he got hurt in the process, it was a lesson to never do it again. "No. Shhh."

"You're just like Laxus. You both think that things just get done magically. As if I don't stay up at night, doing your clothes, planning your days, managing all our money, making sure that you'll both be okay for another day. But do you care? No."

Nathan start singing then, or at least attempting to, one of Mira's songs, getting over half the words wrong and the tune was totally off. He wanted to be like Mira when he got older. Be able to sing and cook and clean and just be great.

Oh, and sorta like Laxus. He wanted to be big and have cool designs on his body and burp and fart whenever he wanted. That would be nice.

But he wanted everything else of him he wanted to be just like Mirajane!

"Nathan, don't put that in your mouth!"

Other than her nagging.

He could do without that.

* * *

><p>"That was a waste."<p>

"Oh, Ever."

"It was," she said as she and Elfman made it to her apartment. "And you know, instead of wasting all this time on a birthday party that the kid won't even remember, they could work a little harder on, gee, getting her out off the house."

"What's up with you and this? Huh? You keep bringing it up," Elfman complained as he, per usual, took his shoes off right by the door. Ever was a stickler for those sorts of things. "Mira and Laxus are slowly moving her stuff over there. I mean, what difference does it make? The house is already paid off. Mira's just waiting to put it in my name. That's all."

"Uh-huh."

"What, Ever?"

She only went into the kitchen to get a glass of wine. All they'd had at the party was beer and that just wasn't up to her standards.

"You know what," she said. "You don't push this issue, Elfman, and you might lose your chance."

"My chance at what? That house ain't that special. And I was thinking about just letting Lisanna have it."

Ever was back in the living room then, wineglass in hand, staring at him hard. "What?"

"Why not?" he asked, glancing at her. She hadn't brought him a glass because, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't make him like the stuff. He said that it smelled. Even the expensive brands. "I don't want to stay there anymore. I was only there to protect 'em and now they've both decided that they can do fine all alone, so-"

"Elfman, you're getting a house, one that's in moderate condition, for nothing. Literally, nothing. For free. And you're going to pass on that why?"

"What difference does it make if I got it for free, Ever?" he asked her. "I mean, I would never sell it. And even if I did, I'd give Mirajane all of the money I made off it. She's the one that-"

"Are you stupid?"

"Hey! I thought we agreed that you wouldn't call me-"

"Elfman," she hissed, coming closer to join him on the couch. He kept right on glaring at her though. "Lisanna doesn't need a house. You do."

"Why do I-"

"Because, idiot, you're not going to live with me, are you?"

"Well…if you're offering-"

"I'm not," she said. "So what? You're going to waste money on an apartment because you're upset that your sisters are, gee, growing up? Come on. You're not that stupid. You can make jewels off this."

"I just told you-"

"Mira has had her chance at the house. It's your turn. I mean, sheesh, you put time and effort into its upkeep too," she said before pausing to take a sip from her glass. After that, she merely said, "Why would you cheat yourself out of a good investment?"

"Then I'd have to pay property tax and-"

"And what?"

"I…I don't know." He took to glaring at the wall in front of them then. "I just don't want things to change, I guess. I like living with Mirajane and Lisanna. I love them. But they both want things to be different."

"They're just getting older, Elfman," she told him with a roll of her eyes. Ever was always down for some drama, but only on her schedule. "Mira wants to start a family. And Lisanna wants to just be free from everything for awhile. You didn't possibly think that we'd all stay the same as we were when we were kids, did you? Pretty soon, I bet, a lot of people are going to start leaving Fairy Tail. They-"

"Stop talking."

She gave his arm a slight shove. "You don't get to tell me to stop talking, Elfman."

"But-"

"Where do you think, Elf, all the people that we were around in Fairy Tail when we were kids went to? Huh?"

"W-Well-"

"It's a good guild," she told him. "And it's our home. For now. But you can't stay in the same place for all of eternity."

"What are you saying?"

"Just that I know Laxus. And I know that if Makarov dies and gives the guild to someone other than him, he'll probably take off. And your sister's just a barmaid now, really. Not to mention, she's really only ever wanted to be a singer. So…I mean, I don't want them to go anywhere, but-"

"Mira and Laxus aren't-"

"And then Lisanna can hardly stand being here as it is now," she said. "That's why she's always asking you to go on those long, far off jobs. She's said it before, Elf. You guys just don't listen to her."

"Oh, and you do?"

Ever shrugged, taking another sip. "She wants to travel. Being a mage is just something that's fun to her. I mean, I'd be surprise if she stays for another year, what with Mirajane moving out. She already feels like you guys are abandoning her."

"But we're not! And Mirajane explained it to her. She-"

"Oh, they've patched things up, fine, but that doesn't mean that the wounds aren't still there. If she felt that way once, she'll feel that way again."

He hated every single word in her last few sentences. And they got even worse when he started to contemplate what she was saying.

"Then…Then what about me?"

"You like Fairy Tail. This was all you ever wanted to be," Ever said. "A man or whatever. Right?"

"I wanna be with my sisters."

"Awe." She didn't mean for that one to sleep out. Not at all. But oh well. Sometimes, and she didn't know why, the way he cared so much about others made her feel…warm. Fuzzy.

And sick to her stomach.

"That's not an option though," she told him. "And you know that."

"Why can't we all just live together forever? I wouldn't fight with Laxus much, if Mirajane moved him in. And you could-"

"Ha, no. I'm never living with your sisters. Never. So get that out of your precious little brain right this second."

"I don't know why you guys are so against one another. I mean-"

"Elfman, it's not even about that. I…moderately can tolerate Lisanna. And I think that Mirajane's a snake, but Laxus…likes her, which means that I do too. Now."

He shook his head. "But-"

"Everyone grows up, Elfman. And that doesn't mean that you're not still their brother." Evergreen wasn't taking sympathy on him, not by any account, but…she did really love Elfman. Sort of. And seeing him so upset by something that she was intent on bringing up didn't make her feel so good about herself.

"Hey, look." She stood up then, reaching out with the hand that wasn't clutching her glass, to run it across his cheek until she got to his chin, which she tilted up. "Let me have another glass of wine and then, maybe, we can turn this night around, huh?"

"What do you-"

"Elfman."

He blinked. Then he got excited and jumped right up. "I'll go pour you another!"

"Good boy," she sighed before downing the rest of her drink and handing him the wineglass to accomplish his new task. So talking about his sisters had been a bust. There had to be some way to make him keep that damn house.

She just hadn't thought of it yet.

* * *

><p>"I don't see what the big deal is."<p>

"I'm not making a big deal," Lisanna complained as they walked along next to one another, the streets empty and her voice hollow. "You are."

"You haven't been the same since I said that thing about the stupid celestial wizard," Bickslow grumbled, kicking at the ground, held tilted down. "And I don't know why. So what? It was a joke. I'm not into her. I mean, I wouldn't not be into her if she came onto me-"

"You're so disgusting," she said, glancing over at him just to make a face. "Why are all guys so disgusting?"

"How is that disgusting?" he grumbled. "She's hot. If she was into me, then-"

"Then you'd be with her just because she liked you?"

"Yeah, Lisanna, that-"

"That's wrong, Bickslow. You should be with her because you like her. Or else you're just-"

"But you got mad at me when you thought that I liked her too!"

"Do you?"

"I don't… I guess," he said, wishing one of his babies would help him out, but they were all busy floating around, ignoring both him and Lisanna as they chased one another. "I mean-"

"That's my point. You don't like her. You wanna sleep with her."

"I never said-"

"Bickslow."

"Kid, you are annoying the fire out of me today," he grumbled. "So what if I do? Huh? I thought that you would like that."

"Why?"

"Because if I end up with the blonde, then you get the Salamander, yeah? I mean, you're the next choice for him, righ- Lisanna!"

She couldn't help it. She'd just slug him in the arm out of instinct. It wasn't like it hurt him anyhow.

"I'm not anyone's second fucking choice," Lisanna told him harshly. "Natsu is just… Shut up, Bickslo!"

"You're the one that wants to talk about this," he pointed out.

"No, I don't. You-"

"You left the house with me, kid, but wouldn't say anything to me," he said. "I'm only trying to figure out-"

"Because you like Lucy and it's-"

"Why can't I like Lucy? Huh? Is she some sort of monster or-"

"No," Lisanna sighed. "She's…great. And wonderful. And Natsu's really lucky to have her."

"Then what the hell are you-"

"But you don't know any of that," she told him. "You just know what she looks like, right? I mean, you don't really know Lucy."

"So? You just said that she was great and-"

"And I can say that," Lisanna said. "Because I really know her. But you just look at her and want her because of what she looks like. Therefore, your desire is invalid. You don't like Lucy. You just think she's hot."

"So?" Then, sneering, he glanced down at her. "I get it."

"Get what? There's nothing to-"

"You're totally jealous of the blonde one, ain't you?"

"Shut up, Bickslow."

"You are." Snickers. "You-"

"I said to shut up!"

"Kid," he said through his laughter. They were stopped then, there on the sidewalk, facing one another. "I get it, alright? You don't think that I get passed up for hotter guys all the time? Natsu traded you up for Lucy. And, according to you, she's a pretty great person, right? So what? Who cares? That just means that he loses out on you."

"You don't know what you're-"

"You gotta let go eventually, kid," he told her before shaking his head and continuing to walk. The babies had gone ahead without them and he didn't want to lose sight of them. "He doesn't want you right now. And if you sit around waiting for him to, you might miss out on something real great, huh? The Salamander is…strong. Fine. And funny. At times. But he's not all there is in the world."

She wanted to transform then and claw his eyes out. Instead, she found herself falling right back into step with him.

"And me," he said as they walked along. "I don't really want the blonde one. It was a joke. And I didn't think that it would hurt your feelings. But since I did, I apologize, okay? You're my friend. And you're turning out to be one of my very best friends."

She hated him so much right then, Lisanna did, but she wasn't sure if it was because he was coming off as pretentious or because…everything he had said was right.

"You're my friend too," she mumbled. He only grinned then, the shadow of his sallet hiding it.

"I know," he said. "Sometimes I think though that you forget that."

When she didn't answer that time, he only reached over to tap her twice on the top of the head with his fist.

"Lucy's too whiny for me anyhow," he said as she only stared at him. "Everything's drama. Constantly. Kinda like you, but different. You like yelling and fighting. She likes crying and sulking. See? I'd rather what we just did happen, where you get upset and yell at me and now you get to pout for awhile until you come around to me again as oppose to someone moping around and whining and telling me that there's nothing wrong."

"Like I care what you like."

"Awe, Lissy, you're breakin' my heart here, really."

"Bickslow-"

"I'm hungry," he announced then as he looked forwards again.

"We just left the party."

"And? A man can't get hungry whenever he pleases now? What is this? Some sort of dictatorship?"

"You-"

"I'm going out to eat. Me and the babies. Now you can join and go back to being our fun, amazing Lissy or you can be Mirajane and Elfman's bratty little sister, off to find her own adventure without us. Your choice, kid."

She only shoved him then, making him giggle. "You're so stupid."

"But the good kinda stupid, huh?"

She wouldn't answer him, but nodded slightly.

He was definitely the good kind.

"And hey, you still owe me," he said.

"Owe you what?"

"I didn't get to take nothin' from your room," he said. "That means-"

"Nope."

"What?"

"You had your chance and you blew it."

"What? No fair! Natsu and Lucy interrupted and then-"

"Rules are rules."

"There were no rules!"

"And whose fault is it that he didn't make any of them?"

He only growled, wagging a finger at her as she walked slightly ahead of him. "I was wrong about you, Lissy."

"What do you mean?"

"Here I was thinking you were a mercy giving, bleedin' heart, but you're just as cruel as me!"

"You're just a sore loser."

"Next time," he growled, quickly catching up with her. "I'm totally taking some of those frilly little panties."

"Bickslow!"

"Fair warning," he said, holding up his hands.

She only rolled her eyes though. "And I'm going to take one of your babies. I think I like…Pappa."

"Lisanna," they all cried as he only made a face at her.

"That's not-"

"Fair warning," she said, holding up her own hands then. He shook his head before reaching up to adjust his sallet.

"Fair warning."

* * *

><p><strong>I'm a little more in the mood for Elfman and Ever now than I am Lisanna and Bickslow. Another fair warning. <strong>


	26. Chapter 26

Parenthood

Chapter 26

"What are you guys doing?"

"What does it look like?" Laxus grumbled, not even glancing over at Mirajane. "We're shaving."

"Are you?" Mira came further into the bathroom, mostly focused on Nathan, who was using his little stepstool Laxus had for him so he could wash his hands. At the moment though, he was staring into the mirror, right next to Laxus, who'd lathered up the child's face as well, running his finger down his cheek in the same way Laxus was running the razor down his own.

"Go away, Mira," Laxus said, still not looking at her. "We're in the bathroom right now."

"I'm just going to take a shower," she said, going to turn on the water and let it warm up. "Has Nate already had his bath?"

"Yeah," he told her. "I'm about to take him out though."

"Oh, Lax, I haven't made breakfast yet. He-"

"He'll eat on the way."

"On the way?"

"I'll get him a donut or some-"

"I was questioning where he would be going on the way to."

Grunt. Then, "He's going to go train with me."

"What? Laxus-"

"He's three years old. He knows to sit when I say sit, stand still when I tell him to, and not to get in the way."

"What could he possibly-"

"He's just going to watch me. Play in the forest some. Ivan took me with him all the time. And Gramps. When I was well."

"I don't know. He-"

"Mira, he wants to go."

"Do you, Nate?" Mirajane glanced back over at htem. "Do you wanna go train with Daddy?"

"Yes," he said as Laxus, finished shaving, took to patting his face dry with a towel. Then he turned and, after wetting the towel, washed Nathan's face clean, causing the little boy to giggle. "Laxus."

"Daddy," Mira corrected. "Remember?"

"Daddy," he agreed as Laxus only grunted. The water was warm then and, after quickly slipping out of Laxus' shirt, which she'd worn to bed, Mirajane quickly got into the shower.

"Mirajane. Bye-bye." Nathan headed right out of the bathroom then. "Go train. Choo choo."

"No, buddy," Laxus groaned, heading after him. "We're not riding a train. We're-"

"He thinks he's going somewhere fun," Mira called over the sound of the water. "That's why he wants to go."

"Choo choo."

"Explain it to him or he can't go."

"Nathan," Laxus groaned, heading after him. "Buddy, come here. We're not going anywhere, but the forest. You're gonna watch me workout, huh?"

"Go train." He'd left the bedroom and headed into his own. When Laxus found him, he was standing in front of his train set, pointing to it. "Now?"

"Not now. You know that I don't ride on the train," Laxus grumbled, coming over to him. "We're not going on the train."

"Big train."

"Nathan-"

"Choo choo."

"You're a little brat," Laxus grumbled before going over to him and snatching the child up. Nathan only giggled though, snuggling back against his father. "Now let me go get dressed and then we can head out, huh? Before Mira finishes her shower and tries to ruin some more of our fun."

Fun. Laxus didn't know what was wrong with him, but, well, he kinda wanted his son to be around him. To see him train. To know that he was the best mage to ever live. It was one thing when he said it, but it was a whole other to actually prove it.

"You're not with Mirajane today, kid," Laxus told his son later as they left the apartment building. "You're not a baby anymore. You're a big boy. And big boys don't whine or cry or want their mommies. Or in this case, their Mira. Alright?"

"Yes," Nathan said as he followed along. He had his little backpack on his shoulders, a few toys, a change of underwear (he was potty trained, but just in case), his sippy cup, and a sack lunch in there.

"No c'ust," Nathan told Laxus that morning as they stood in the kitchen, making his sandwich. "Laxus."

"I'm not cussing."

"No c'ust!"

"Cussed?"

"C'ust!"

"Crust," he groaned then, glancing down at the boy. "You don't want any crust, huh?"

"No c'ust."

"Alright, well, what else do you want in your lunch?"

"Cookie."

"Mirajane says that you can't have those. Me either. She baked 'em for-"

"Cookie, Laxus."

"Hmmm. Well…just taking two won't hurt. Which means taking five won't either!"

Sometimes having a kid was pretty great, Laxus would admit. Of course, that was just because Nathan was, like, from his DNA or whatever. All other little brats were just that. Little brats. Nate was amazing because of his paternity.

Duh.

"There's more rules too, of course," Laxus found himself saying then. "You have to hold hands out here. I know it's not…manly, but hey. You're still only three."

Though one hand was holding a big, chocolate covered donut with sprinkles, his other hand was securely grasped in his father's and he wasn't letting go for nothing.

Unless he saw a puppy. Or a kitty. Or something fun. Then he'd wiggle his way free and go follow it.

Duh.

"And when you gotta go potty, you just go," Laxus went on. "Pick a tree any tree, huh? And you don't gotta wash your hands."

"Yay."

"Yeah," Laxus agreed. "But don't tell Mirajane."

"Mira."

"She's real weird about that kinda stuff. And, uh, don't eat anything that didn't come in your lunch, alright? Like bugs or dirt. That's nasty."

"Nas'y."

"Gross."

"G'oss."

"And…uh… When I say to do something, you do it."

"Yes."

"I mean it, Nate. If Daddy says to stand still, you stand there and wait for me to say you can move again. Or if I tell you to sit somewhere and stay, you stay. And don't get in my way, okay?"

"Daddy. Love you."

Grunt. Then, because he really did like the kid, he grumbled out a, "Love you too."

Nathan only giggled though. Of course Laxus loved him. They were best buds! Totally different than him and Mirajane though.

Sigh. He really wished that Mira was there. She was his favorite person ever. Better than best buds. She was like...like…like how a mommy dog takes care of her baby puppies. And they love her and snuggle with her and sometimes she might yap at them, but it's okay, because she's still their mother.

Mira was like that. Sometimes she'd yell or scream or just be annoying (Laxus called it nagging), and he might even get mad or tired of her for a bit, but in the end, she was still Mirajane.

And there wasn't no one he loved more. No one.

It was only once they were out of town and almost to the forest that Laxus let go of Nathan's hand. The little boy, thinking this was an accident, reached up to grab it again, but Laxus only patted him on the head.

"We're here, kid. The forest. And I think that I can trust you not to run off in a forest, huh?"

"Laxus."

"We're going to go to a little clearing that I know, huh? And maybe later, Bickslow or Freed might join us."

"F'eed."

"Uh-huh. He pretty much worships me because, you know, I'm awesome."

"Laxus."

"You know, kid, you're pretty much my protégé here. So you better be taking notes, huh? When I die, you're going to take over for me. And I ain't gonna be a prick like Gramps. When it's my time to go, I'm gonna let you have your moment in the sun." Laxus reached down then and picked up Nathan before moving to set him on his shoulders. Nathan loved this and took to giggling. "You're my kid. And I know what that means. Gramps and Ivan are the ones that got it backwards. The greatest moment of my life will be when you surpass me."

"G'amps."

"But," Laxus said then as Nathan only patted out a beat on his head. "First you gotta get there. And I ain't making it easy on you."

That was fine. The longer it took the better. So long as Nathan got spend time with his father until then, he'd relish every minute of it.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Evergreen," Mirajane greeted as she came into her house later that morning to find the woman sitting on the living room couch. "You waiting on Elf? I think he and Lisanna went on a-"<p>

"Actually," Ever said as she got to her feet. "I was looking for you."

Mirajane frowned, shutting the door behind her before walking further into the house. "Me? What about? I-"

"Mirajane, something…bad has happened. Like really bad."

"Oh, no. Is it Nate? Or Laxus? Or-"

"No, Mira. It's…me."

Mirajane blinked as Ever got to her feet. Then she smiled. "You want my help changing, don't you?"

"Changing? What are you-"

"I've noticed, Ever," Mira said as she came closer, "the way that you've been acting recently. You're fighting your inner demons, so to speak. I went through this too. And it took Lisanna's death to…change me. And now I'm going to spread the wealth and help you! I have a few self-help books that really-"

"Mira," Ever groaned as the other woman skipped off, headed to her (soon to be former) bedroom to find the books. She just loved helping people. "It's not… Mira, I'm pregnant."

And there went that little bit of excitement as slowly, Mirajane came to a stop, there in the hall, before turning back around to look at Ever.

"You're what?"

"I… My only friends are Freed, Bickslow, and Laxus, really, and I don't think that they'd be any help in this, so I thought… I mean, you're the closest to another female friend that I have, really. And-"

"Have you told Elfman?"

"No. I mean, I thought that I was a few weeks ago, but I was…in denial, I guess and then all this stuff's been going on and I-"

"Are you sure that you're-"

"I am."

After a moment or two of staring, Mirajane came even closer. Then she hugged the other woman, who was just as rigid in that as she was in every other part of life.

"M-Mira-"

"This is so great! I told Laxus that I wanted someone else to end up with a baby and it being you and Elfman is so- Wait. Are you upset because…" She pulled abck some then to stare Ever in the face, though she kept her arms around her. "It is Elfman's…right?"

"Unfortunately."

"Yay!" More hugs. Ever wasn't so responsive. "I hope you have a girl. Or no! A boy. Or no! A girl. Or no-"

"Mirajane, I don't want to keep it."

She dropped her arms at that, this time taking a literal step back. "What do you mean?"

"You know." Ever's face was void then as she only stared at the other woman. "I want… You know, there's potions you can take that…"

"You're gonna kill your baby?"

"I'm not killing it. It's not even a baby. It's-"

"Ever, Elfman won't-"

"I don't want to tell Elfman."

Mira blinked. "But…it's Elfman's baby."

"It's not a bab-"

"Why did you tell me this?" The room got hot then as Mirajane blushed and turned quickly to walk away and into the kitchen. She needed a glass of water. "Ever, I can't… I have to tell Elfman. He's my brother. I-"

"You can't. Mirajane-"

"Why are you putting so much pressure on me?"

"On you? What about me?" Ever followed. "Mira, you don't think that I've thought about this? Laid awake thinking about this? I can't…have a baby. I never wanted to have one. Never. Not at all. I think that they're nasty and disgusting and it would ruin my figure-"

"Then why did you-"

"It was an accident. A really, really bad one."

"Aren't you one something though?" Mirajane's blush was so deep then that her whole body felt warm. "Or-"

"I was, but… I don't know, Mirajane. I'm out on jobs so much that I forget to take it when I'm supposed to and it's not like Elfman and I have sex that often. And when we do, we usually use-"

"Ew! Leave me out of this."

"Mirajane, I need you."

"And I want to be there for you, but…" She had her glass of water then, but her hands were shaking too much for her to actually get it up to her lips. "Why are you gonna get rid of it?"

"I just told you, Mira," Ever said. "I can't have a baby. I don't want one. I wish that I hadn't screwed up, but… This isn't going to work. I'm not even a good girlfriend. Or friend. And you want me to be a mother? That-"

"It's not like you'll be alone," Mirajane said then. "You know? I mean, there's me and Lisanna. And the boys will help you lots. Bickslow likes Nathan. And Freed would be as good to a kid from you as he is to one from Laxus. He-"

"I can't even go without drinking for three days," Ever told her. "I tried. Really hard. When I first thought I was. But then the next minute I was on two glasses of wine and-"

"I can't do alcoholism and pregnant at the same time. So separate them so we can tackle one issue at once."

"Mira-"

"I've never…felt that, Ever," Mirajane told her then. "I've always wanted a baby. And even when Nathan was given to me, I immediately felt maternal towards him. So I don't know what to tell you other than it's up to you. But I'm not keeping this a secret from Elf. You're gonna tell him or I will. It's not fair of you to do this to him. And if you both don't… Then that's between the two of you. You guys know that I love you no matter what. But he has to know."

"There's no way that Elfman will ever-"

"You made your bed," Mirajane told her. "Now you have to lie in it."

"Mira-"

"And as for drinking," she went on. "You really should try harder to stop. I think. I mean, I've never been pregnant, but-"

"I don't want-"

"Talk to Elfman. And you guys can come to a consensus together."

"I tried to talk to him when I first thought… But he won't even keep the damn house."

"What are you talking about?"

"When you leave, he wants to give it to Lisanna."

"Why?"

"I don't know. And then he thinks-"

"Did you tell him that you thought that you were-"

"No," Evergreen told her, crossing her arms over her chest. 'I didn't."

"Well, tell him. And then you guys can have this place," Mirajane said. "If you want it."

"He doesn't want it though. Aren't you listening? He doesn't want anything, but you and Lisanna. He's upset that you're both finding your own lives and he's-"

"He's going to be a father," Mirajane told her, finally calm enough to take a sip of her water. "That's going to give him something else to focus on. And believe me, he'll focus on it. And he'll forget all about me and Lisanna."

"But-"

"And really, Ever, I'm leaving the house soon and you can have it. It can be you and Elf's. And I'm sure if Lisanna finds out that you're pregnant, she'll want to leave too."

"Where would she-"

"I think for awhile now she's wanted to live on her own," Mira said with a shrug. "It's something we'll have to talk about, I guess."

Ever only sighed slightly, looking off. "I just really don't think I can do this."

"You know that Elf is more than committed to you," Mirajane told her. "He's devoted to you. He'd do anything in the world for you."

"Still."

"I know you think that you can't be one," Mira said. "But I know that there's no one more loyal than you. To Laxus, granted, but still. And you're a little mean sometimes, but you're protective over your team. I think that if you were a mother, you'd be the same way about your-"

"I really don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Okay." Mirajane still just stared at her though. "Well, if you do again, I'm here. But really, you should tell Elfman. I-"

"I get it, alright?"

"Okay, okay." Mira held up one hand before going to get more water. "Anyhow, Laxus and Nate are off on their own little adventure today, so I was going to move some more stuff over to his place while he's out. Did you wanna help? I mean, I won't make you carry anything too heavy, but-"

"Yeah, Mira," Ever cut her off before slowly smiling. "That sounds nice."

She couldn't fake a smile for once though as her head was swimming too much. Elfman and Ever were going to have a baby. Before her. Because as much as she loved Nathan, and she did, she still hadn't gotten the joy of being pregnant. Of being a complete and utter monster that got to eat whatever and be rude as she wanted.

She felt cheated.

Hmmm. Maybe she could use Ever's pregnancy to her advantage and get Laxus back on board with the baby thing. And by back she totally meant on it for the first time.

It was easier said than done.

* * *

><p>Laxus was quite the exercise enthusiast or so Nathan discovered. He liked to do a lot of repetitive things. Like pushups. He went up and then he went down. He went up and then he went down. Ugh. Nathan liked other things.<p>

Like dogs. He really wanted a dog.

"One, two, five," he sang as Laxus did his pushups. His father had asked him to help count and, well, Nathan was the best little counter ever! Mirajane said so, which meant it was true. He knew all his numbers up to ten.

He just didn't…know the order they went in. Which was okay. Mirajane said that they'd get there. Slowly, but surely.

"One," he repeated again. "Seven. Two. Four. One. Two. Kitty."

"Kitty?" Laxus grumbled as he kept count in his own head, mostly blocking Nathan out. "Where-"

"Kitty!"

"Nathan! That's not a cat. Come back here. That's a damn raccoon!"

So after that fiasco, Laxus made the little boy just sit there and play with his few toys he'd packed.

"You're not allowed to chase animals," he grumbled. "You understand?"

"Mira."

"No. Not Mira. Nothing about Mira. She's not here. Her rules aren't my rules. I'm Laxus. I'm Daddy. You do what Daddy says. And Daddy says that you're gonna sit here and play with your toys."

"Wan' Mira."

"No."

"I wan' Mira," Nathan complained. Mira would let him play with the kitty. She encouraged it. Like with Happy, Carla, and Lily. Only Nathan wanted his own kitty, but Laxus was too mean. Wouldn't let him go get it. Mean Laxus. Stupid Laxus. "Mira!"

"No crying."

Nathan stuck his tongue out at him, expecting the usual response. Laxus would yell and then he'd go away and let Nathan be alone for awhile. Instead, because Laxus was already all pumped from working out and then the kid had run off and…

It just happened.

Nathan started with his big tears when Laxus slapped him. It wasn't so much that it had hurt, as it had really just surprised him. Mira never hit him. Never. And no body else did either. Other than that once when Laxus spanked him and, well, he hadn't rightly liked that either.

"No," Laxus groaned. "Don't cry louder."

He couldn't help it. Why was Laxus not playing right? You don't hit. Mirajane told him that all the time. Like when Lisanna was being mean and wouldn't share her dinner, Nathan couldn't just go over and hit her. He tried before, but Mirajane always said no. No hits. Hitting was bad.

So why was it okay for Laxus?

"This is not what I envisioned," Laxus growled. "You're not allowed to come anywhere with me again. You stupid brat."

It wasn't fun anymore, being with Laxus. Nathan didn't Laxus. Laxus was horrible. He wanted Mirajane.

But Laxus only went back to working out, ignoring the little boy's tears. Part of him thought that maybe he should actually just spank him, not give him a little swat, but what if he cried even more? He remembered when he was a kid and Ivan would strike him, he knew to shut up immediately. He thought that was just instinctual. Was it not? Was it a learned behavior? Had he missed his shot?

Maybe. Now the kid didn't get that he was supposed to be quiet when Laxus hit him. Damn Mira and her rules.

Eventually though, Nathan was able to calm himself down, though he refused to ever like Laxus again. Never ever. It was only Mirajane for him from that point forth. She was the only one that loved him.

While he was actively ignoring his father, Nathan found his way to his feet and was planning on going to look for that kitty again when he tripped over a rock. Which usually wouldn't hurt him much. He fell all the time. But he'd fallen on a rock or something and managed to rip his pants as well as cut his knee.

Well, that just wasn't acceptable.

"Hey." Laxus was over to him in seconds. "Are you- Oh, no, you're bleeding."

And even though he was Mr. Rules, Mr. No Nonsense, he had to agree. Nathan being hurt just wasn't acceptable.

He carried Nathan the whole way home, cradled in his arms with his little backpack. About half way there, the pain had subsided and Nathan was more focused on the fact that hey, he still didn't Laxus and did not want the big meanie holding him, so that was what he was crying and whining about. But Laxus thought that he was crying because he was in so much pain and only held him closer.

When did he start caring about others anyhow?

"Oh," Mirajane said once they got home, quickly taking Nathan into her own arms and carrying him into the bathroom. "That is a pretty big gash. But I think that you're a little more worked up, Laxus, than-"

"Just get it to stop bleeding," he grumbled as he followed her deeper into the apartment. He noticed Ever though, seated on his couch, and frowned. "What are you doing here?"

"I-"

"Never mind." He continued on to the bathroom. "Mira, do you think that he-"

"Laxus, it's really not that bad. He got hurt worse that time that he tried to climb the dresser and fell down."

"Still. There's blood and-"

"Have you never been around when he gets a boo boo?"

"I am not calling it a-"

"You haven't, had you?" Mirajane sat Nathan down on the bathroom counter who had taken to sucking on his thumb the second he saw his caretaker. He knew that Mira would set him up alright. "Awe. This is kinda sweet."

"Is he gonna be okay?"

"Yes, Laxus. Of course."

"Well-"

"Here, Nate." Mirajane opened the mirror/medicine cabinet behind his head. "Which bandage do we want? The one with the puppies or the kitties or-"

"Red."

"Red? Well, lucky you, there's a red one right here that also has doggies on it. Say yay."

"Yay." He put his thumb right back in his mouth then as Mirajane also pulled out a tiny bottle of peroxide.

"This is gonna sting, baby. But after, you get a cookie, huh? I'll even let you have those ones that I baked for-"

"We might already have some of those," Laxus mumbled.

"Huh?"

"Just…make the kid better and we can talk about it later."

"Aren't you a lucky little boy," Mirajane told Nathan then as she pressed a washcloth to his wound, trying to clot the blood first. "Your daddy sure is worried about you."

"Daddy mean." His thumb came out to tell Mirajane that. He wanted her to know. He wanted them all to know. "No 'ike Laxus."

"Hey!"

"Why? Baby, I know that he was probably negligent which led to you getting hurt-"

"Mira," Laxus complained as she only giggled.

"-but he wouldn't let you get hurt on purpose," Mirajane reasoned. "You know that."

"No 'ike Laxus."

"Oh, baby."

Laxus was giving the kid a hard stare then. How dare he? Did he not get that he'd carried the little brat all the way from the clearing to home, worried sick that he would die?

A lot of his scenarios led to the kid dying, actually, but that was besides the point.

He was just a concerned father. Like whenever he would hit his head or when he'd run into something. He knew how those things worked. Little kids were fragile. And if his died, well…

He didn't want that.

Nathan whined some when Mirajane tended to the wound, but after she put a bandage on it, he was all better and ready for that cookie. Mirajane went and got him some new shorts though to wear first, since he'd ripped his other ones, before dropping him in Laxus' bed.

"So what's Ever doing here?" Laxus grumbled after they gave Nathan one of the cookies out of the lunch he hadn't eaten yet. They had moved into the bedroom then, where Nathan was getting snuggled up in his father's bed, figuring he'd gone through enough trauma that day. He was eating his cookie and then he was gonna take his nap. And maybe, if Laxus was lucky, when he got up, he'd feel like forgiving him.

It all depended on what Mirajane was making for dinner. Dinner was a big part of Nathan's life. Set the whole tone for the evening.

He and Laxus were alike in that manner.

"What?" Mirajane said. "Are Ever and I not allowed to be friends?"

Grunt. "I guess so," Laxus mumbled. "And hey, you sure the kid ain't gonna die of an infection? Or…that he might get delusional and start talking about how, I dunno, someone hit him in the mouth. Or-"

"Are you drunk?"

"Why do you always ask me that? It is not that frequent that I am drunk anymore. Especially not when I'm alone with the kid."

Mirajane only sighed, heading out of the room. "His cut was just long, Lax, but not deep. He's fine. He gets owies all the time. Daddy's just usually not there to freak out about them."

"I didn't freak out."

"Did too."

"I-"

"Read him a story and put him down for his nap. Then go take a shower. You stink."

"Mira-"

"Mira," Nathan called after he finished his cookie. "Mira?"

"Daddy's going to put you down for your nap. I'm talking to Ever, okay? You're fine."

No he wasn't. Not if he was stuck with Daddy. Bah! Laxus was mean.

"Looks like it's still you and me, kid."

"Wan' Mira."

"Mira doesn't want you."

"I heard that, Laxus," he heard Mira call from the other room. "And if you start telling him that about me, I'll have him turned against you faster than you can think, 'Wow, I really screwed up.'"

He wanted to argue back with her, but figured it wouldn't make the kid forgive him any faster. With a sigh, he went over to the bookcase to find him a picture book to read. If there was anything Nate liked, it was being read to.

When Laxus joined him on the bed, Nathan only took to scooting further away. Frowning, Laxus reached over and grabbed him, pulling the child close against his will.

"No! Laxus-"

"We're gonan snuggle and you're gonna sit here and look at these damn pictures. And then you're gonna beg for a kiss, I'mma turn you down, and then you're gonna take your nap. And then when you wake up, you're gonna tell Mirajane that you love Daddy and that Daddy is the best person in the world. Got it, brat?"

Nathan was poised to stick his tongue out at him, but remembering what happened last time, he settled for just slowly snuggling up to his father. He wouldn't ask for a kiss though. Or tell Mira that he loved Laxus. He loved Mira. Mira was the only one that cared about him.

It took three books for that attitude to shift. By the end of the third one, Nathan was giggling and snuggling up to his father, more because he was enjoying looking at all the pictures than anything else. But…anger was fleeting. Especially in a toddler. And though love might waver, it never really went away.

Because it was true. He and Laxus were best buds. And nothing could changed that.


	27. Chapter 27

Parenthood

Chapter 27

"Missed you."

Laxus stopped for a second as he entered the apartment before shaking his head.

"You up late, demon?"

"Mmmm. Just didn't wanna go to bed alone again tonight," she sighed as he came over to the couch, where she was stretched out and trying to sleep. "Didn't know you'd be back tonight."

"Finished up early."

She hummed as he dropped his bag to the ground in front of the couch before letting his coat fall from his shoulders. Just as quickly, it was laid over Mirajane in place of a blanket.

"I'll come and get you in a minute," he told her then before heading off, to the kitchen, to find something quick to eat. Just as quickly he was in the shower, washing away the past few days. Jobs used to be fun for him. Recently, they just meant, at first, escaping Mirajane's craziness, but far too soon spent missing her and Nate.

He was turning soft.

Maybe it was having the kid?

"No," he grumbled as he stood under the spray of the shower, not moving as he stared down at himself. That wasn't right. Having him hadn't changed Ivan. Babies didn't change men.

Had he always been soft?

"Wrong again," he sighed, the dirt and grim rinsing easily from his hair and body. There was no way it was that. He had, at one time, been the most hardcore guy around. What had happened?

"I couldn't wait."

He didn't even look up as, suddenly, the curtain to the shower was pulled back and Mirajane stepped in behind him. Didn't take stock of her body. Didn't need to. It was burned into his memory already.

"You stink, Laxus." She took to pressing up against his back, tossing her arms around his middle, and hugging the life out of him.

Was it the woman?

"You're hardly getting any water, demon," he sighed, shifting as best he could then in the cramped space to let her stand in front of him. "Don't get cold on my account."

It was the woman.

"Mmmm. Me and Nate were gonna bake a cake tomorrow. I thought for sure that was when you'd get home," Mirajane said as Laxus only grabbed the bar of soap, taking to washing her before himself. Always her first. "It's just too quiet around here without you. You know?"

Grunt.

He wouldn't even have anything to do with the kid if it wasn't for her. She was the one that made him care. She might not have given birth to the boy, but she certainly had been the one that had forced him into Laxus life.

He owed her. He owed her big.

"He'll be so happy, you know? When he wakes up in the morning to see you. Maybe you can make him those pancakes that he likes? The ones that you make for him?"

"I just put chocolate chips in 'em."

"Well, he thinks that they're special," Mira reasoned. "Ooh, I just can't wait! He gets so sad when you're not there."

"No," Laxus told her, tone even. "He just gets annoyed that I'm not there to bother. It's you that he'd hate to see gone. Even for a day."

"What he feels for me doesn't have anything to do with you, Laxus," Mirajane said, glancing over her shoulder at him. "You can't compare the two. I'm awesome and you're…you."

"Mira-"

"He loves us both. Why do we have to constantly compare the two?"

"We don't."

She giggled some. "I almost want to wake him up right now and tell him that you're home. Do you think we can? And let him sleep in bed with us? I mean, these days won't last forever, Laxus, that he can. We should-"

"Tonight, demon," he began, moving to set the soap back down before gently resting a hand on her shoulder until she turned around, "I get you. He has you all the time. I never get you anymore."

"I think I balance things pretty well."

"I don't."

"Awe, Laxus." She was picking up the soap then, tugging at one of his arms as well so he stepped closer. As she began to scrub tenderly at his chest with the soap, she watched the resulting suds with interest. "Do I not give you enough attention?"

He didn't like it when she talked to him like a child. "Mira-"

"It's okay. You don't have to go getting all jealous. Especially over a toddler."

"I'm not jealous."

"Mmmm." She raised her eyes then, but not her head, locking irises with him as her bangs practically covered hers. He liked her with her bangs down. It made her look…there wasn't a word strong enough for it. "Fine. But in the morning, I want you to get up early and make him pancakes. And I want to be there when he gets to see that you're home. Deal?"

Bowing his head, he rested it against hers. "Not so sure about making deals with a demon."

"Well," she said slowly as she only turned her head from his and went back to washing his chest. He had a tendency to get muddy and then not washing off for days. She had to get each and every inch of him with some soap or else, well, he'd just stay nasty. She didn't want that. After all, they did share a bed together. "The way I see it, you have two choices?"

"Oh?"

She nodded slightly. "You take the deal and things turn out okay-"

"Like that idea."

"Or you refuse it and the demon destroys you and all you care about."

"Huh."

"Mmmhmm."

"But what if," he asked then, reaching out to take her chin in his hand and tilt it up. When he had her eyes, he began again. "What if the demon is one of the things I care about?"

She blinked. Then she shook her head free of his hand before saying, "I dunno. Quite the conundrum."

"You can see how a silly little dragon could get confused by this."

"Well," Mirajane said slowly. "I think that you should just go ahead and accept the deal."

"Do you now?"

"So we don't have to sort out the mess if you happen to not."

That time when he bowed his head, it was to press kiss to her forehead, having to do so against her wet bangs.

"Jokes on you, demon," he whispered as she only leaned forwards to escape him, resting her head against his chest. "The dragon was going to accept from the start."

"Bigger joke on you," she whispered against his flesh. "The demon was going to make you do all of those things whether you agreed or not."

"I figured."

"Did you?"

"Uh-huh."

So, Laxus decided, even if the woman had changed him, so be it. Everything had been for the better after all.

And besides, who can change a man, but a woman? No one. At all.

* * *

><p>"So what are we going to do today?"<p>

"I dunno," Mira sighed as she sat at the tiny breakfast table, Nathan in her lap as he scarfed down his pancakes with gusto. "What do you wanna do?"

"Well," Laxus said s he stood over at the stove, still making his and Mira's pancakes (it was out of the question to ask Nate to wait for them, completely). "I was thinking if you didn't have to work-"

"I don't."

"That we could go out and do something."

"The two of us? Or the three?"

"Either or," he said with a slight shrug. "Makes little difference to me. We can take the kid somewhere fun, if you want."

"You wanna go somewhere, Nate?" Mirajane asked, glancing down at the three year old in her lap. "Huh?"

"Go train. Choo choo."

"Of course he wants that," Laxus grumbled as Mirajane only giggled. "Every time we ask if he wants to go somewhere, he thinks that means we're going on a dang train."

"Ride train," Nathan told them, looking up at his father with his syrup covered face, as if excited. "Go choo choo. Yes? Laxus?"

"I dunno, buddy. I-"

"What if we make it a short ride?" Mirajane asked. "And we go just a few towns over. And we can eat dinner somewhere nice. I've been working on taking him out in public. He's becoming quite the little gentleman."

Laxus looked over at her little gentleman then to find him picking his nose. "I bet."

"Nate," Mirajane complained when she noticed to which the little boy only giggle and went back to eating. "Well, he knows he's at home right now. Besides, Laxus, you do some pretty disgusting stuff too."

"Like wh-"

"You burp a lot, you pass gas, you walk around in your boxers-"

"One, I drink a lot. It happens. Two, you're the one that feeds me things that make that happen. And three, I'm seducing you, babe. You're just not too receptive."

That got an eye roll.

"My point, Lax, is that he's picking up all his habits from you."

"No way. He mimics you more than me," he grumbled. "He likes playing house and making me pretend food and shit. If I had wanted a daughter-"

"Laxus."

"What?"

"That's not nice. And I know that you're joking, but really, just don- Nathan! You don't do that either."

He only ignored Mirajane as he continued to lick his plate clean, trying to get up all the syrup he could. It was the best part. Laxus only shook his head when he saw him.

"You're all sticky now, buddy," he said. "And Mira and I still have to eat, so we can't clean you just yet."

"Here." Mirajane stood up, setting the boy on the ground first, before going to get a washcloth and wet it. "This will have to do until your bath."

Nathan hated when Mira scrubbed at him with washcloths. Or when she would spit, sometimes, on her finger and rub at dirt or other stains. It was annoying. Who did she think she was? Huh? Huh?

Oh yeah. She was Mira. She could do anything she wanted.

Anything.

As far as he was concerned at least.

"Mira." He patted her chest as she sat on her knees in front of him, washing all the stickiness off. "Go see Elf?"

"Not today, baby," she sighed, taking each of his hands and washing them off too. "Maybe tomorrow, huh?"

"See Na'su?"

"Nope. Not him either. It's just you, me, and Daddy today."

"Daddy," he repeated before giggling. "Mira. Nate."

"That's right."

"Love you."

"I love you too, baby. But I love you so much more when you're all clean."

"Go fish?"

"Now you wanna fish?" Laxus grumbled. "What happened to riding on the train?"

"Go train! Choo choo. Huh, Laxus?"

"Daddy," Mira corrected. "Don't call him Laxus. Remember?"

"Huh, Daddy?" Nathan looked over at him. "Ride train?"

"Yeah," he grumbled as Mirajane only finished cleaning the boy off and, after giving him a kiss to the cheek, got to her feet once more. "We can, I guess, buddy. But just know that I'm going to hate every minute of it."

That was fine with Nathan as he only marched off to the living room to go find some of his toy cars so he could play with them in the kitchen. He liked rolling them into Laxus' feet and making him complain.

He complained a lot.

Laxus was such a baby.

With a sigh, Mira went to sit back down at the table. "Can you think of anything else to do today, Laxus? If we're not going anywhere until tonight, then did you wanna just stick around here?"

"We can," he said. "I just want to rest."

"Yeah, that happens in guys your age."

"Ha ha." Over he giggles, he added, "But I know how much you hate it."

"What? You're age?"

"Mirajane."

"What?"

"I meant how much you hate sitting around and doing nothing," he said, glancing over at her. "I mean, you get up before dawn usually and have your day packed of things to do. Can you just sit around the house all day today? And then not even make dinner. Have to go out and eat?"

"I think I can," Mira told him with a slight smile. "Although there is one thing that me and you need to discuss."

"And that is?"

"You know," she said as, finally finished with her pancakes, he came to bring her plate to her. She gave him a kiss when he leaned down for one before saying, "About my dog."

"Oh, you have a dog now, demon?"

"Mmmhmm."

"Even though before it was just a-"

"And he needs a home, Lax. With his mommy."

"Mirajane-"

"You like being Nate's daddy so much. You can do it again. Please? He loves you."

"Mira, the apartment is already cramped with all your stuff in it. How do you expect-"

"He won't take up much room. Honest."

"And he's wild, Mirajane," Laxus went on as he started on his own breakfast. He always came last for his boy and woman. Always. "He likes to be outdoors. Where he can run and chase things. And hopefully get hit by a train."

"Laxus."

"Well."

"And your lease here is coming up," she pointed out. "So-"

"We're not moving again, demon. Not for at least another year."

"Laxus-"

"No." He usually let her make all the major decisions or would only give a little resistance, but she heard it in his tone as well as read it in the look he gave her over his shoulder. "I am not moving again. And neither is Nate. You're going to make do here for awhile."

She was planning on pouting for a minute or two about that before she suddenly remembered what the original conversation had been about. Mira knew, too, right then, that she had won. As there was no way that he'd turn her down for two requests in one day.

"So about my dog-"

"Yes, Mira, you can get your stupid dog in here. If the super allows it."

"Oh, I already asked."

"Of course you did," he sighed. "But Mira, you're going to be the one to take him out and make sure that he doesn't rip into things. And I don't want to hear it if he dies or something. No tears or any of that. It's an animal. Not a human."

"You sure are talking a lot of noise for a man that about had a heart attack because his three year old cut his knee."

"There was a lot of blood!"

"Uh-huh."

"And when are you going to stop bringing that-"

"I go potty."

They both frowned as Nathan jumped up then from the floor before marching off to the bathroom. With a sigh, Mira left her food and went to go make sure that everything turned out okay.

More frequently than not, it didn't.

"What am I going to do with a fucking dog?" Laxus grumbled to himself when he was alone in the kitchen. Then, after a moment, a thought accorded to him. "Although…the others got damn cats. My dog'll eat 'em alive!"

Which was great, because he had a feeling Mirajane would have been bringing that dog into the house whether he told her she could or not.

But they weren't moving. He was putting his foot down on that one. And even Satan Soul couldn't move it.

* * *

><p>"Can't believe I actually caught you at home," Elfman sighed as he stretched out on her couch, Evergreen laying against his chest. He had just arrived back in Magnolia a few hours ago. He and Lisanna had been gone for a full two weeks on some job a good ways away, per his younger sister's request. Not that he minded. It gave him a chance to get Lisanna away from stupid Bickslow.<p>

Had he mentioned that he didn't like the two of them together?

"We're not together, Elf," Lisanna had groaned about a thousand times on the trip. "Seriously. You're making this all into something that it's not."

He couldn't help it though. Fine, Elfman had dropped the ball on Mirajane. He felt bad for her, bad for himself, after Lisanna had, well, not died, but in their mind had, and had allowed Mira to date whoever she wished. Let her do those nasty modeling shoots where guys…they…

Ugh! Things were so much easier when they lived back in their village, where he'd have been able to find her a real man to take care of her. Instead he was stuck in a big city like Magnolia where Mirajane could just date whoever she wanted.

And boy, did she date.

Err, well, she did, anyhow, before Laxus. Mirajane was a committed woman then though, or so she told him frequently.

And if committed meant certifiable, he was inclined to agree.

Bleh. Laxus.

Bleh any man, really, that wanted to get with his sisters.

"I thought for sure that you'd be out on a job," Elfman went on as Ever only snuggled closer to him.

"Bickslow and Freed went on one, but I stayed home. I haven't…felt well recently."

"Yeah, I've noticed."

"You have?"

"Of course, Ever," he said, tilting his head to look down at her. "I notice everything about you."

Apparently not everything…

"Well," she said slowly then, keeping her head against his chest. He'd showered when he first showed up and she'd been kind enough to make him something to eat, but they had never rightly made it to the bedroom. Only both fell onto the couch and had yet to feel like getting up. "I'm not sick. So that's good."

"That's great."

"But…"

"Hmmm?"

"Elfman," she whispered then, against his chest as she only shut her eyes. She didn't want to have to look at him. Her voice was hardly audible as she said then, "I'm pregnant."

There was that moment of silence where she only kept her head pressed against his chest and felt herself being torn. Part of her wanted him to immediately ask her to get rid of it, as it was the thing that she wanted as well. There was another half of her though, one that she found herself hating, that wanted him to want the child.

It was the womanly part of her, she figured. The idea of him loving her and their child was just, like, something that was a common feeling, right? A normal human desire.

A bad one, of course, but a normal one.

"Evergreen."

She could tell just from the way he said her name what his feelings were. Honestly, why was she expecting any different?

"This is amazing," Elfman insisted as he quickly wrapped his arms around her. Ever fought him though, moving to get off his chest and off the couch. That was fine though as Elfman was moving to sit up. "How long have you known?"

"It's not amazing, stupid. It's-"

"No, I know," he said. "I mean, it happens all the time, but I… Did you plan this?"

"Of course not! I-"

"You did, huh?" Elfman was getting to his feet. "This is the best surprise ever!"

"You are the weirdest man I know," she complained as he only wrapped his arms around her. "Elfman."

"I love you," he told her. "And I love babies! This is… I can't even… I have to go tell Mirajane and Lisanna and everyone. Especially stupid Laxus. My baby's with the woman I love! Ha!"

When he dropped her, she only took to crossing her arms and glaring at him. He didn't understand this though, he never understood her anyhow, and only took to reaching out and patting her stomach gently.

"I can't believe this," he whispered. "I-"

"I don't want to keep it."

"A secret? Me either."

"No, Elfman. I don't want to-"

"So I'll go tell people now." He was quickly heading to go find his shoes and coat. "You wanna come?"

"Elfman, don't."

"How come?"

"I don't… We're getting rid of the baby."

That put a stop to him. Slowly, he backed away from the front door.

"We're what now?"

"I don't want to be pregnant," she whispered, staring at him. "Or to have a baby. I wouldn't have even told you, but-"

"Wouldn't have… You can't do this."

"Elfman-"

"Why would you have planned this if you were only going to-"

"I never said I planned this! You did," she hissed, turning her nose up as she said her next words. "As if I would ever plan to have a baby with you."

Elfman's chest hurt. Before, it had been pride. Then it was…heartbreak, probably.

"Elf-" Ever groaned when she saw the look in his eyes.

"No." He turned right back around. "I can't believe you."

"I don't… You know that I've never wanted a child. You-"

"Then why did you-"

"I didn't mean to!"

"But… Ever, I thought that you loved me."

"Elfman-"

"No." He was opening the front door then. "I don't… I can't be here. I can't be around you."

She didn't come after him. He didn't expect her to. Not that he even wanted her to. She was horrible. She was a monster.

But then, hadn't she always been?

No one was at home when he got there, but that was just as well. No one was ever home anymore.

He sat down at the kitchen table with a sigh. Used to be that when life threw everything at him all at once, it'd be okay. It'd always be okay. But the things that it'd been tossing his way recently just weren't things that he could shake off.

Had he been fooling himself the whole time? Had Ever never really been as in love with him as he was with her? Was she even in love with him at all?

It was while Elffman was sitting there, busy contemplating it all (and crying a few times) that the backdoor opened and Mirajane walked in.

"Hi, Elfman," she greeted in her usual peppy cadence. "Didn't know that you were home."

"What are you doing here?" he mumbled, hardly glancing at her. "I thought that you were all moved into Laxus' place?"

"Mostly," she said. "But he's taking me and Nate out to dinner tonight and I had the perfect dress. Or at least I thought. But I couldn't find it over at his place. I think it might have gotten into Lisanna's closet by some-"

"Ever's pregnant."

There. He just got it out there before she had the chance to ramble any longer. If he let her, the woman could go on that way for the entire night.

Mirajane only stood there in the kitchen, matching his gaze. Slowly, she said, "O-Oh. Really? That's so-"

"You already knew," he realized dryly. Mirajane could do many great things, but being able to feign shock was not her strong suit. "How?"

"W-Well, I might have spoken to her and-"

"She doesn't want my baby."

"Elfman-"

"But you knew that too, didn't you?" He sighed. "Why should I be surprised? You know everything."

"Not everything."

"Yes, you do," he complained as she only came over to rub his shoulders. For so long it had only been the two of them. They'd weathered Lisanna's death and their own personal changes together. They could handle anything with one another.

"No."

"Mira-"

"I don't know what to tell you now," she told him, taking to leaning down so that she was resting against him. He only sat there though, facing the table, allowing her to use him as she needed. She could bleed him dry. Lisanna too. Ever could have, but apparently, he wasn't good enough for her. "Elf. Just that I know that deep down, Ever's only scared."

"She told me-"

"It doesn't matter what she told you," she said. "Because you know the same things that I do. She loves you. She knows that. But at one point, she was scared to be in love with you. To be in love with any man. So what did you do, Elfman? You showed her that it was okay. So now you have to convince her that this will be okay. Because it will. I know it and you know it, but she doesn't. But there's no one in the world better at teaching than you."

Elfman only sighed as Mirajane wrapped her arms around him as best as she could, as if to hug him, before releasing him and heading off, further into the house.

"Thought you said you didn't know everything?" he sighed as she only giggled.

"I don't know that I do know everything. If that helps."

Grunt.

"Where's Lisanna?' he heard her call as she headed to her bedroom. "With Bickslow?"

Yuck. "No. We ran into Natsu and Lucy on the way into town. They were meeting up with Gray, Juvia, and Erza to do something and she went off with them."

"When and if she gets in tonight, let her know that she works tomorrow."

"Okay."

"And Elf?"

"What?"

"You'll make a great father."

"Mirajane-"

"You know that you think so to."

Oh, he knew so. He was a real man! Just like a father should be.

Now he just had to convince Ever of that…


	28. Chapter 28

Parenthood

Chapter 28

"That's some heavy shit."

"Mmmm."

"I can't even…" Laxus frowned, staring at the little boy was content as he sat between Mirajane and his father on the bed, being read to by the former. Laxus had his own book out, but was unable to focus on it. "I mean, I think about if I knew how… I mean, if I knew that that woman was pregnant with Nate, I would have wanted her to get rid of it too. And then we wouldn't…"

"You don't need to think about that, Daddy," Mirajane told him as she turned the page in the book, keeping Nathan's interest well. "Because it didn't happen."

"Woof woof," Nate called out then as the dog, who was resting at the foot of their bed, took to wagging his tail. "Woof woof."

That's what he called the dog. Mira thought it was cute. Laxus just made it another one of those noises that he blocked out.

"But still. I-"

"You have Nate now, Laxus," Mirajane told him. "And you'd never do anything to ruin that."

"Of course not."

"And if I ever accidentally wound up pregnant-"

"What?"

"-you wouldn't want me to get rid of the baby, of course. In fact, you might even be-"

"Demon," he grumbled, glancing over at her. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm not talking about anything."

"You-"

"I was just making an example."

Why didn't he believe her? Hmmm.

"You better not try to trap me," he grumbled. "'cause I won't take well to that."

"I'm just kidding, Laxus," she assured him, sparing a glance his way as Nate took to patting at the different pictures in the book. "I don't want to get pregnant until we decide together that we want to try."

Grunt. He went back to his own book.

"Or in six months, I'll find a guy that's willing to have a baby with me. Shouldn't be too hard."

"Demon," he growled as she only snuggled Nathan close to her.

"I don't think it's fair, Laxus, that Ever and Elfman are going to have a baby and we're not."

"Last time I checked, Mirajane, the whole point is that they're not getting one."

"Oh, no, we both know that Ever will end up keeping it."

"I doubt it."

"I don't."

"And besides, you have Nathan. What more do you want?"

"You know that Nathan's my baby," she said as the little boy in question took to just turning the page of the book himself, since Mira was taking too long. "But I never got to be pregnant, Laxus."

"I thought that was a good thing," he grumbled. "You know, no stretch marks or whatever."

"Laxus."

"What?"

She rolled her eyes. "Don't you think it would be great? For us to cuddle up at night and you could kiss my tummy and-"

"Yeah, you're great, Mira, and everything, but that's not happening. So maybe you should go out and look for this mystery guy now."

"You play, Laxus, but you know it would only take a snap of my fingers."

"Yeah? And a snap of mine and I could have this bed filled with women."

"And you could also lose me and Nathan just like that."

Grunt. Then, he said, "Do we really need another kid? Right now? I mean-"

"It's not like we're struggling. Or would be if we had one."

"We live in a two bedroom apartment with a dog and a kid. Why add to that?"

"Because, Laxus, I want-"

"You know, Mirajane, sometimes that the things that you want have to be put to the side for your family," he said, glancing at her. "Kinda like how I put my desires to the side all the time."

"What desires? And if you're about to start talking about wanting to sleep with other people-"

"I really want to buy motorcycle. But I have rent to pay for, a kid that constantly needs new clothes, a girlfriend who thinks my money is just a prop she can use whenever she wants-"

"Take more jobs, Laxus. And save up for it. You-"

"No, Mira," he said, glancing at her. "I don't want to take more jobs than I do now. I want to be here. With you. And with Nate."

She blinked. Then, after a moment, she glanced at him and smiled. "That's cute."

"Shuddup."

"No, seriously, Laxus, that-"

"I said-"

"It's cute and you know it," she said as Nathan glanced over at Laxus. He was annoyed that the man was ruining story time.

"Shhh," he shushed his father, bringing his finger up to his lips while he was at it. Laxus only gave him a half snarl before going back to his own book.

"You have the kid thinking he bosses me around or something," he complained to Mirajane who only snuggled Nathan closer.

"And if we had another baby, he could be on your side."

"Yeah, right," he complained. "Then I'd just give you two kids to turn against me."

"I didn't turn him against you, Laxus. He saw his choices and made the right one. That's all."

"Ha ha."

Nathan snuggled up against Mirajane then. "Read, Mira."

"I am, baby," she told him. "I was just correcting Daddy on a few things."

"Mira-"

"Mira," Nathan complained, speaking over his father then. "Read."

"You're right," she giggled as Laxus gave the boy a look. "He is a tad bossy."

"A tad?"

"Nate," Mira said then, looking down at the toddler. "You know how to say please."

"P'ease?" He tilted his head back to stare up at her. "Mira?"

"Okay." After pressing a kiss to his head, she said, "But you don't be so bossy anymore."

Reading time, per usual, lasted until lunch time. And lucky for Laxus, after that, it was nap time.

For the boy anyways.

"I feel so weird sometimes," Mirajane admitted to Laxus as they both relaxed in the tub. "Taking a bath during the middle of the day."

"Think of it as a half way point," he told her. "We gotta wash all the crud he threw at us from the morning off so we can deal with the afternoon."

"Mmmm." It was a new implement, but was becoming one of her favorites.

"You know though," Mirajane told him as one point as she leaned back against his chest and he took to shutting his eyes. "After my bath, I have to get to work."

"Not for, like, what? Two hours? We're not taking a two hour bath here, are we, demon?"

"No," she said slowly. "But I have to take time out to get ready too, after."

"Ready, huh?"

"Mmmhmm. You think that you and Nate'll wanna come down there with me? Just for a few hours."

"I dunno."

Mirajane only sighed. "So you thought anymore about the baby?"

"Mira-"

"What? Laxus, I want a baby. Why is that such a bad thing?"

"It's not," he sighed. "But-"

"You gave another woman a baby."

"Mirajane-"

"Well, you did."

"You're being difficult."

"I'm always difficult when I don't get my way."

"You're just like Nathan."

"Maybe," she agreed. "But that doesn't change the fact that I want one."

"You're impossible."

"And I want to get married."

That brought him even more pause then the baby thing. "Huh?"

"You heard me."

"Mirajane-"

"I just do," she said as she shifted slightly to grab the soap and actually begin bathing. "I've never put it out there before, but it's the truth. Marriage is the end goal for me in this. Is it not you?"

"I kinda like how things are now."

"I do too," Mirajane assured him. "I love you and Nathan. And I'm not saying any time soon. Like, not in the coming weeks or anything. Our anniversary isn't even until two weeks anyhow."

Anniversary? Hmmm.

"But I want it eventually to get there," Mirajane said. "And tell me now if you don't."

"I do."

"I'm serious, Laxus. If you don't, that's fine, but it's not fair to either of us for you to-"

"Demon, I do, alright?" He pressed a kiss to her shoulder making her mewl softly. Against her flesh, he whispered, "I promise. Just… I need more time. For all of this."

"'kay," Mirajane said. "Just don't take too long."

"I won't."

And apparently, he couldn't. Not that he could focus for too long on the marriage thing. Apparently, there was some sort of anniversary on the table. And even for as suave as Laxus tried to be with Mirajane, he couldn't for the life of him remember when it was.

Huh. You'd think he'd remember the day that he first banged Mirajane.

…Freed. Freed knew everything about him. Maybe he'd even know the date that Mirajane considered their anniversary.

Hopefully. It was one time his creepy side could be of any help.

* * *

><p>Work was so boring. Lisanna hated it. Especially when Mirajane was on the job too. It used to be fun, helping her out, but recently, nothing was fun anymore.<p>

Except hanging out with Bickslow.

But work. Ugh. And when Mirajane was on duty as well, Lisanna's tips would dwindle. You know, because she wasn't a freaking model who, for the record, would never get with any of those guys anyways. Even if Laxus wasn't lingering in the back of her mind, all the other perverts in the guildhall were disgusting to her for the most part.

Not that she didn't bleed them dry of as many jewels as she could.

It was almost an art, Lisanna figured, the way that Mirajane raked in tips. And could they really be mad at her? They all had their own skills. And Mira's, fine, was her takeover abilities, but the way she could get money from any guy at any time was definitely something worthy of an honorable mention.

It was also something though that apparently wasn't hereditary. Or if it was, Lisanna hadn't been blessed with the specific gene.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Lisanna," Mirajane would say with a shrug. "I don't try and get tips. I just get them. Maybe if you smiled some more instead of moping around constantly, guys would give you tips."

No such luck. Everyone wanted their jewels to go to Mirajane. Kinana told her that she dealt with the same thing.

"At least Bickslow always tips you big," she offered. "Since you guys are friends."

Except Bickslow wasn't around that day. And Lisanna was kinda missing him. She'd taken a long job before and then he was taking small jobs and they just…

But at least she'd had time to spend with Natsu and Happy. And Lucy and Gray too. But still…

So after work that day (bleh, it just dragged on and on), she headed over to his apartment. Since they hadn't seen one another in a few days, she was honestly a little nervous about just showing up. But she already had a handy little reason for her visit, to cover the fact that she was truly just lonely.

"Bickslow," she sang as he opened his apartment door. "I know something you don't know."

He was only standing there, clad in just jeans, blinking at her. "H-Hey, Lisanna, I was actually just waking up and-"

"Just waking up? It's almost five in the afternoon." She pushed passed him without a second thought. "Come on then. Let's go to lunch. Or breakfast for you. I-"

"Lisanna-"

She came to a stop then as she saw a woman who she didn't know coming out of the bathroom, her brown hair damp from a no doubt recent shower, wearing one of Bickslow's long-sleeved t-shirts.

"Having guests are we?" she asked, glancing at Bickslow. Lisanna hadn't felt that awkward in a long time. Either had Bickslow, she assumed.

"You know Laxus," he said with a shrug.

"Of course I know Laxus."

Something in the way she said the other man's name told Lisanna all she needed to know.

"This is his girlfriend's little sister."

"Oh." She was older than Lisanna. Older than Mira, it looked like. But not in a bad way.

Definitely not in a bad way.

"The girlfriend that ruined all our fun?" She chuckled then. Not giggled. Something about her laugh just bypassed a giggle. She was mature. There was no way that Lisanna could compete with that.

Not that she wanted to though! No way. But…

Mira clearly had. And won. So there was that.

"Not all of it," Bickslow sighed as he shut the door. "Uh, Lissy? Did you want something?"

"N-No, I-"

"You said that there was something that you wanted to tell me?"

"I…" She couldn't stop watching the woman. So what? Now that Laxus was with Mirajane that meant that Bickslow got his leftovers? "It's not important. I mean, you're clearly busy here, so-"

"Not really," the woman said before heading to Bickslow's bedroom. "I have somewhere to be anyhow. Oh, and fun ruiner's sister? Tell Laxus I say hi."

She closed the bedroom door then, no doubt getting dressed once more as Lisanna only shot the stink eye her way. It could travel through wood. Lisanna knew it could.

"Shit, Lisanna," Bickslow grumbled as he turned to head over to his mini-fridge and pull out a beer. "Shit."

"Shit me? Shit you." She blushed then. It wasn't like she cursed frequently or anything. Probably less than the majority of her friends. Only when she was upset. "What did I do wrong? I just came over to talk. You-"

"I didn't mean it that way," he sighed. "I just-"

But the door to his bedroom was opening again and that woman was walking out. Lisanna wanted so badly to be able to be able to say something bad about her. But she couldn't. She was highly attractive. And seemed mature. Lisanna could picture her with Laxus, fine, but Bickslow?

He was red then as the woman came over to giving a kiss on the cheek. Lisanna found herself, for some reason, glaring which was totally stupid. Totally. She wasn't…attracted to Bickslow or anything. No way! She just…well…

"I'll see you later, huh?" she asked with a wink to which Bickslow only nodded slightly. Then she headed right to the door and went out it, leaving them alone.

"So," he said after a few moments of silence. "Uh-"

"I'm just gonna go," she said before turning to walk out as well. "I-"

"No, don't." He was quick to go grab her arm, stopping her. "Lissy-'

"I-"

"What did you want to tell me? Huh?"

"Nothing. It was stupid. I-"

"Hey, you know what?" He let go of her arm then as he turned to look around for something. Just as quickly, he was heading into his bedroom to find whatever it was. When he returned, he had a baggie with him. "I went out and got us some stuff. Since you're here anyhow, you wanna smoke some and then go out and get something to eat? Or something?"

"Bickslow-"

"I know that was awkward," he said as he came back over to her. "But I mean, come on; I've talked to you before about the women I hang around. You knew that I was seeing someone."

Sort of. He always said that he was sort of seeing someone. A lot of someones. As he put it, nothing he did was serious.

"It's all just sex," he told her once. "That's all."

And she hadn't really cared back then much, but in that moment? As she was standing there in his apartment with egg on her face? Yeah, she cared. She cared a lot.

"Where," she found herself saying then, "are the babies?"

"Sleepin' still, I guess. I don't really let them roam around when I have…visitors." He winked at her. "I'll get 'em up, huh? And then we can smoke? Or we can go out and get something to eat now if you wanna. That's fine too. And you can tell me what this big secret is, huh?"

"It's not a secret, but-"

"It's cool," he said. "Let's go out and get some takeout, huh? And then come back here?"

"Bick-"

"Just let me get dressed. And get the babies." He winked at her. "You know you wanna, Lissy."

She wanted, honestly, to somehow purge from her mind what she had just seen. But considering that wasn't an option…

Well, she was kinda hungry.

So that was how Lisanna found herself, some time later, sitting on the floor of his living room in the dark, takeout boxes spread across the carpet, as well as some of his babies. The others were circling around, talking in their nonsensical babble that only he seemed to understand.

"So," she found herself saying at one point when her mind was muddy and her mouth was dry. Bickslow always seemed to need more than her to get to that point and must have had quite the tolerance to the stuff. "Evergreen's pregnant."

He about choked then, on a piece of meat lodged in his throat. Lisanna was concerned, but he only reached out to grab his beer and down half of it, washing the meat down. Then he took his joint from her hands and took a few puffs.

"No shit?"

"Nope," she said with a shake of her head. "That's what you didn't know."

"Man."

"But you can't tell anyone."

"Of course not."

"Not even her."

"But-"

"I mean, Bickslow," she began then before staring hard at him. The only light in the room was the little bit leaking out from a tiny window and the glow that his babies would randomly cast off. "She might not even keep it."

"Shit," he cursed again as she only nodded. "And it's whose?"

"Bickslow."

"Your brother? Double shit."

"I think you're up to triple now."

"Quadruple then," he said. "This deserves it."

She only nodded before reaching out to take a sip of her own beer. "I know."

"Who told you? Not her, right?"

"Of course not."

"Then-"

"Mirajane did at first, but she promised me to secrecy."

"And you're breaking that sibling oath just for me? I'm honored."

"No, stupid," she said as he only patted his chest, making his babies giggle. "Elf came to me later and so I figure it's okay. If he himself is telling me. You just can't go around saying anything."

"Scouts honor."

"Bickslow-"

"Kid, you think I'm gonna blab? No way!"

"Because you take pride in our friendship?"

He blew smoke in her face. "Because Evergreen scares the shit out of me."

He did have a point on that one…

"So hey," she found him saying then. "What have you been doing recently anyhow? We don't even talk anymore, it feels like."

"We've just both been busy these past few weeks," she told him. "I was working and you, apparently, were sleeping around."

He snorted at that before taking to lean back against the couch, which he was seated in front of. Holding out the smoke for her to take, he just as quickly took to messing with his Mohawk.

"Man, kid, you don't even know," he said then as she only rolled her eyes. "They all come after me now. You know, just to ask about Laxus and your sister."

"The fun ruiner."

"I don't call her that."

"But you let them-"

"I didn't let her do shit, Lisanna. I don't have nothing to do with her."

"Except you just slept with her."

"I sleep with a lot of people! Or at least I try to."

She blushed then, there in the darkness, before concentrating once more on eating. Words felt heavy against her tongue, but she found herself speaking regardless.

"We're different, I guess."

"Well, you're in love. With the Salamander, no less," he said then, nodding over at her. "And that's cute. But me? I ain't in love. Who am I saving myself for? No one. So why can't I have fun? Not a single day's promised in this world, Lissy."

"Even so," she said, glancing over at him once more. "I don't think I could ever-"

"People are diverse. Some people, like you, hold sex to some sort of standard. Put it up on a pillar. Treat it all special and shit. Then there's people like me who see it for what it is. I get what I need out of it, she gets what she needs, and we're both happy. Everyone's happy."

"Except the fun ruiner."

"Lisanna."

"I almost died, Bickslow."

"I know. I-"

"No, not like the rest of you. When you constantly put your lives on the line. That's serious, but I legitimately would have died, had it not been for Edolas," she said. "And even knowing that or knowing that I could die tomorrow or the next day or even this second, I don't want to just blow my last day on stupid things."

"Pleasurable things."

"Pleasures of the flesh," she corrected. "That's all. And then it's gone. Just like that. Over."

"You're life could be too."

"Then so be it. I'd rather do something else with my day than meaningless things with people that don't matter to me."

"Like what?"

"Like…hang out with Natsu or be around Mirajane or…do this. With you."

That made him blink before shaking his head.

"You just don't get it," he dismissed her. "And you won't until you, you know, lose it."

"Then I just won't get it," she told him. "That's fine."

"Mmmm." He was moving again then, slowly, to reach out and pick up a takeout box. "You know what?"

"What?"

"I think we should go on another trip soon."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Where?"

"Wherever you want, kid," he told her. "Wanna go camping again?"

"Mmmm," she sighed as she thought. "We should go to the beach."

"The beach?"

"Uh-huh."

"We ain't gotta go far for that."

"Well, let's go to one a little ways off," she told him. "Away from everybody."

"You wanna?"

"Mmmhmm."

"Hmmm." He thought for a moment. "Got a plan."

"What?"

He was laughing then for some reason though, but he did that a lot. Just for no reason. In her state though, her mind about equal with his, if not a little further gone, she took to chuckling too.

Once he sobered, he said, "We could hike there."

"Hike?"

"Mmmhmm. Take a big long journey on foot to some far away beach. Just me, you, and the babies, of course."

"Of course," they all shrieked making her giggle again. "Lisanna. Papa."

"For how long though?" she found herself asking then.

"However long the two of us can stand one another," he told her which got a laugh too, from both of them. And the babies, but they hardly counted; they'd laugh at anything.

"Just tell your siblings this time, huh?" he asked. "Laxus came down on me for that last time."

"And what does he think about you sleeping with his…whatever they were to him."

Bickslow frowned, annoyed that she was bringing that up again.

"He don't think nothing 'bout it, Lissy," he told her. "Why would he? They're nothing to him. You just said that yourself. They're just…women. It happens."

"So what? You get his seconds?"

"Why? Worried for your sister?"

She gave him a look for that as he only groaned.

"This shit's supposed to relax you, babe," he grumbled as he only reached out to take his smoke back from her once more. "Not make you standoffish."

"I'm not stand-"

"Are too."

"Are not."

"And apparently, we can't stand one another for more than a day anymore," he sighed then, shaking his head. "I don't get it anymore, Lisanna."

"What?"

"It's like everything I do is wrong. Everything."

"I've never said-"

"We used to have fun," he kept up. "What happened to having fun?"

She only sat there though, staring at him. She wasn't equipped to fight at that moment. She just wasn't. Words were forming slowly and even in the dark, everything seemed fuzzier than usual.

When she didn't respond, Bickslow took to getting up. He needed another drink. But when he sat back down, it wasn't by the couch. It was right next to her.

"When did things get so complex, kid?" he asked as she only stared at him. He was holding the joint out to her then, wanting her to take another hit, but she felt bad as it was. When she didn't, he took her turn for her.

"I mean," he went on after blowing his smoke towards his dolls, who for some reason liked flying through it, distorting it further. "Is this how it always is? Feels like it. I get to be friends with someone, but the closer we get, the worse off we are. Maybe I'm cursed.

"Or maybe, is that life you think? That the reason it gets all tangled and screwed up later on is because our friendship isn't as shallow as before? You think? That'd make sense. It's not that I'm cursed. It's that life is. The closer you are to someone, the more you start to understand them and take on their struggle.

"But not all struggles mesh. Our lives don't mesh. You're…you're you. Easy to get along with, have a great brother and sister, are on the path to maybe scoring the love of your life, if you could just do something about Lucy. And me? I'm still just me. A loser. Sometimes I do something great. Sometimes I'm a part of something great. But I mostly just get off on hurting other people. How could we ever be friends? Really friends?"

She wanted to tell him that he was being silly. Of course they could be friends. And yeah, maybe things did get more mangled as their friendship progressed and grew, but that didn't make it wrong. That didn't invalidate it. That just meant that they had to work at it more. Not all things flowed together. So their currents didn't harmonize. Who cared? She didn't. She wanted to be around him regardless. Because he was different and he made her feel different. More mature. Validated. Important.

Her mind was still trying to piece together how to convey this to the seith, when suddenly, just as she was turning her head to speak, it was met with his mouth. His lips.

Was he…kissing her?

It felt long, but she was sure that it was quick. She hadn't even really had time to react before he was pulling back to gaze at her.

"Tell me," he whispered there in the darkness, as she only stared with wide eyes. "That I didn't just take your first kiss or something weird like that."

She blinked. Then she shook her head softly.

"No, I… No."

"Good," he sighed. He'd been worried that that was saved for the damn Salamander too... "Now I won't feel so bad about this."

That time when he kissed her, it was real. The hesitance was gone and replaced with fortitude. He knew what he was doing.

She just didn't.

And not just because it was Bickslow or that she had, at that point, reach her limit with the alcohol and drugs, but rather because… Yeah, she'd kissed a guy before. But not like _that_.

When he pulled back that time, she was flushed and his eyes were clouded over.

Lisanna knew she should leave. Or speak. Or something. But she couldn't.

What had they been talking about again?

"You're not keeping everything for the damn Salamander, are you?" he grumbled when she only sat there. That seemed to snap her out of whatever weird haze she was in. Blinking, she only shifted away from him before finding her words, finally.

"I have to go," was all she whispered as she slowly got to her feet. "Now. I… Goodbye, Bickslow."

"Shit," she heard him growl as she only quickly slipped on her shoes and left. Her head felt light and she decided right then and there that Mirajane had been right. No part of her felt good then and it was all thanks to smoking with him.

And getting close to him.

The whole way back home though, Lisanna couldn't convince herself that she disliked being kissed by Bickslow. She wasn't so sure that she had liked it either, as she hadn't really given herself a chance to enjoy it, but distaste was not a feeling she was having.

Confusion was one though. And annoyance. So what? He thought that she was just like all those other women that he was with constantly? That she was just going to…what? Put out for him after just seeing another woman leave the apartment only hours before?

What kind of woman did he thinks she was?

More importantly, what kind of woman was she?

"What's up with you?"

Her heart about stopped when walked through the front door of her home to find Elfman sitting there, on the couch, pouting from the looks of it. She wasn't sure why, but her hand did come up then to wipe at her mouth, as if to hide evidence or something.

"Nothing," she said quickly. "Why?"

"I don't know," he grumbled, glancing at her. "You just look…red. You run here or something?"

"No," she replied, just as hotly. "I just… I'm tired, okay?"

"Whatever."

"Oh, Elf, I was just-"

"What am I supposed to do, huh? About Evergreen?"

With a sigh, Lisanna headed over to the couch even though part of her was afraid Elfman could smell just how intoxicated she was if only from her presence.

He didn't seem to care. He just wanted company.

"She's real mad at me, Lisanna. Hardly will even talk to me. What am I supposed to do?"

"Well." But that was all that came out. If putting the solutions to her own problems into words was hard at the moment, contemplating Elfman's was near impossible. "Just… You wanna keep the baby, huh?"

"Of course."

"Then she can't do anything to it without your say so. I mean, I guess she could, but she won't. She wants your confirmation that it would be the right decision. So just don't give it to her."

"I…I… You know what you smell like?"

That was a swift change of subject. And one that she didn't want to get into.

"Elfman," she began, ready to hear about how drinking was bad or how Bickslow was a horrible friend. Something. Instead he only got to his feet.

"Food," he said. "I haven't eaten in hours. And even then, not much. This whole thing has me all mixed up."

"Mira's working," Lisanna said as she only blinked. "You could go down there and-"

"I'll do that. You wanna join?"

When she declined, he only took to patting her on the head and telling her that he loved her before taking off.

Well. Considering the rest of her day, that was at least somewhat normal.

Left alone then, once more, with only herself, Lisanna skulked off to her bedroom, head hung and defeated.

How could the one friend she wanted be oblivious to her advancements and the other that she honestly just wanted as a friend be coming onto her?

Unless…had she been dropping Bickslow hints?

Her head hurt. All of her hurt.

"Maybe things'll look up tomorrow," she sighed as she collapsed into her bed, not even kicking off her shoes first.

But how many times could she tell herself that before she just relinquished the hope?

* * *

><p><strong>From this point forth, the next two chapters should just be closure to each of their own personal little dramas and then... I dunno. We'll see after that. Maybe more chapters, but maybe another story entirely. <strong>


	29. Chapter 29

Parenthood

Chapter 29

"Anything you want to do today?"

Lisanna shrugged. "Whatever you guys are up for."

"When do you get off?" Lucy asked as Natsu and Happy argued over who deserved the last piece of fish on their plate. Hardly glancing over, Lucy moved to cut it in half for them. "Because I was thinking that we could go out to get something to eat. Assume these two aren't too full from what they just ate now."

"We'll be a-okay in less than an hour," Natsu assured. "Won't we, little buddy?"

"Aye, sir!"

Lisanna smiled while Lucy only shook her head.

"We can do that," the takeover mage said. "I just-"

"We came by the guildhall looking for you yesterday," Lucy said then, as if randomly. "Late. We figured you'd be off, but Kinana said that you'd already left. And we asked Mirajane, but she said she didn't know where you went."

"Oh." Lisanna blinked. Then she shook her head, not rightly wishing to think about the previous day. Not if it meant thinking about how Bickslow…kissed her. "I went home. I…had a pretty bad headache. I went to bed early."

"That's too bad," Natsu told her. "We had raked the leaves in the yard into these big piles and then we burned 'em."

"It was super cool," Happy said. "Maybe you can come over next time?"

"Maybe."

Lucy glanced around the guildhall. "I don't even see Mira around. Or Kinana. Tell me you're not stuck up here all day."

"No," she sighed. "Mira's here. Just down stairs, organizing the books or something. You know that she likes to do that."

"So you can leave now?" Natsu asked, as if excited. "And we can go get something to eat?"

"You just ate," Lucy complained.

"I could squeeze a little more in here," he said, patting his stomach. "If I tried."

Lisanna smiled at them. "Let's wait until Mirajane finishes up downstairs. Then I can probably take off."

So she was back to that, she figured then. She was just the third wheel (or fourth if you can't Happy, but who counted him) on all of Natsu and Lucy's dates, getting first hand knowledge of all their fights and makeups. Not that that was a complete bad thing, but…

Honestly, Lisanna had kinda liked having Bickslow. Not just because he was older or cooler or was into things her friends weren't. It was more than that. She liked how she felt when she was with him.

He made her feel special. More so than anyone else did. He would actually hear every single word she said, would actually respond to it. Wouldn't blow her off like Mirajane and Elfman. Or only half listen like Natsu.

Bickslow cared. Or at least he had. Now that she had gone and walked out on him after he kissed her, Lisanna figured that portion of their friendship was over. If it would even be a friendship any longer. She always had problems with confronting people. Especially people she was supposed to care about. And she knew that he wouldn't care enough about her to ever do anything to resolve their relationship.

It was dead in the water, she figured.

"Where do you guys wanna eat?" Lucy was asking then, directing the question more towards the other woman than to Natsu. "Because if it's somewhere cheap, Gray will probably tag along too."

"No way," Natsu complained. "I'm tired of Gray. And plus you'll yell at me when I try to fight him."

"If we're in a restaurant? Yeah, Natsu, I will."

"See? You're doing it already."

"We could invite Levy," Lisanna suggested then, mostly just because she didn't want to be left alone with the two of them. "But then she'd invite-"

"Gajeel," Natsu and Happy complained at the same time.

"What's wrong with Gajeel?" Lucy asked.

"Nothing's wrong with Gajeel," Natsu said with a shrug. "If we were going into battle. But going out to eat? He's all bossy. Like you, but worse."

"How am I bos-"

"You are a little," Lisanna said with a giggle when the other woman shot her a look.

"We can't invite Levy or Gajeel," Natsu decided then.

"What about Erza?" Lucy sighed, already defeated. It was impossible almost to find someone in the guildhall that wanted to go out with them. And then they all wanted to be picky about who they took? Come on. "I bet she-"

"Meh."

"Meh?"

"Meh," Natsu repeated.

"Why are we meh towards Erza?" Lisanna asked.

"She keeps hitting us in the head," Happy said, rubbing his own as if in sympathy. "So no Erza."

"No Erza, no Gray, no Levy," the celestial mage complained. "So who exactly do you want me to invite, Natsu?"

"You, Lisanna, and Happy are enough for me," he said. "Aren't I enough for your guys?"

Lisanna only shrugged at Lucy. "It's more fun the less of us there are anyhow."

"I guess so," the blonde said, though she could tell that she wanted some of their other friends to tag along.

After that was all decided, Lisanna thought that they'd go off and do something fun while they waited for her to get off. At least if they had done that, they wouldn't have seen what happened next. Honestly, she figured she'd have preferred that.

It was Bickslow that screwed everything up. Or made it right. Whatever. Either way, when he strode into the guildhall, honestly all she took to doing was wiping down the bar, as if the two of them being able to keep from making eye contact was a viable fix to their problems.

She knew that it could work. After all, they'd gone years without making eye contact.

But no such luck, she realized, as the first place he headed wasn't over to where Freed was happily looking over maps, no doubt planning their next big excursion (they liked to take a lot of small jobs at once in a certain area and get them all along the way). No, Bickslow headed right over to the bar, stopping in between Natsu and Lucy, so that he was right in front of her.

Lifting her eyes to stare at him turned out to be a mistake as it was then that Bickslow reached out to cup her cheeks. Lucy was confused then, as she no doubt thought that he was only going to request a beer or something.

Even in those few second though, Lisanna knew what he was doing. Or at least part of her feared she knew. And she did, as it turned out when not a second later, he was kissing her again.

And gah! If that woman being over in his apartment the day before had been awkward, she didn't know how to describe that moment. Worse was still to come though as, when he pulled away, she was left with the likes of Lucy, whose jaw agape, and Happy, who'd taken to pointing and snickering.

That wasn't the bad part though. It was when Bickslow, whose dolls she noticed were floating around his head, took to standing straight once more and glanced to his side, at Natsu.

"I'm dating Lissy now," he told the Salamander simply. Natsu only blinked before shrugging.

"Okay."

"You are?" Lucy was far more interested. "Lisanna-"

"No," she hissed. "Bickslow, why did you-"

"I'm a little hungover right now, so I really don't want to hear more of your yelling," he said simply before turning to walk away, his babies following. Lucy caught though the little grin he was sporting, even the shadow of his sallet not being able to sheath it.

"Bickslow, get back here!" Lisanna was quick to round the bar and head after him. Natsu just frowned as Happy snickered.

"What was that all about, Luce?"

"I dunno," she said, though she was grinning too. "But I think Lisanna has a boyfriend."

"Huh." He glanced over at Bickslow, who was heading out of the guildhall with Lisanna hot on his trail. "I don't see it."

"They're in love," Happy sang as Lucy only rolled her eyes and got to her feet.

"I better go tell Mirajane that she needs to get up here and man the bar," she said as Natsu took to shaking his head.

"Lisanna's so weird these days," he complained to Happy as he only jumped off the bar before taking to the air just so he could rest atop Natsu's head. "It's like we don't even know her anymore."

"I like her," he said. "This is her."

"I do too," Natsu said before laughing. "Of course I do. Lisanna's our best friend."

"The best!"

At the moment though, their best friend was having a none too fun argument with her best friend.

"-do that, Bickslow?"

"Because," he grumbled as she only took his arm and drug him over to side of the building, away from everyone. "I'm tired, Lisanna, of being second best to every fucking body else. Look! The Salamander didn't care. He doesn't want you."

"Oh? And you do?"

"I thought I made that pretty damn obvious!"

The sun was setting then and she hoped the shade of the building was hiding her blush. She had a feeling though that it was prominent.

"I don't want to… You just sleep around with, like, everyone. I'm not into that. So just-"

"I want to date you, Lisanna. And I know that you want me too."

"I do not! I-"

"And you can have the Salamander," he told her. "As soon as he and the stupid blonde one break up, you can have your go. But-"

"Stop yelling," she hissed, glancing around. "Anyone could hear-"

"As if they don't already know!"

"Bickslow-"

He was letting out a short huff of a breath then before saying, "I'm offering, Lisanna, for the two of us to date. It's a one time offer too. And you know that you want to take it. So here's your chance."

"Here's your chance," the babies pleaded, coming to float more around her than him then. "Lissy."

"I don't…"

"Fine." He turned then, to walk away. "Forget it. You can go back to pining after- Lisanna."

She caught him round the middle then, resting her head against his back as she held on, afraid to slacken her grip. Afraid he'd go. And that she would lose her chance.

"I like you," she whispered against the fabric of his shirt.

"I know, kid."

"And I don't want things to change."

"They will, Lissy. But for the better. Promise."

She swallowed then before saying, "I've never…dated a guy before."

"Never?"

"Never."

He laughed then, slightly. "You're in luck. I hear I'm the best first date."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah."

"From who?"

"Babies," he prompted before they all chanted at the same time,

"Papa's the best first date."

She hated how much she giggled. He was so corny and stupid and…and…

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

Maybe.

* * *

><p>The two mages just stared across at one another, a doorway between them, as the female one contemplated just closing the door in the male's face.<p>

Then he spoke.

"How are you?"

"Gee, Elfman, I dunno. I have some sort of thing growing my stomach that won't let me keep any food down and restricts me from drinking. How do you-"

"Then you haven't gotten rid of-"

"Of course not, stupid."

He didn't like when she called him stupid, but at that moment, it almost seemed like a term of endearment.

Almost.

"Well," he said slowly. "Can I-"

"Come in," Ever groaned as she stepped to the side and allowed him entrance to her apartment. "You know that you were anyhow."

He took his shoes off, the second he stepped foot into her place, out of habit. Evergreen only went to reclaim her spot at the couch.

"So," Elfman began slowly as he went to join her. "Am I…in trouble? Or-"

"What?"

"You won't talk to me, Ever. You won't answer the door. And Bickslow and Freed both say-"

"You spoke to Bickslow and Freed? Behind my back?"

"You were talking to Mira behind my back!"

"That little snake," Evergreen grumbled, making a face at her. "I told you I couldn't trust her."

He blinked. "Are you serious right now?"

"Well."

"Ever," he complained. "Mirajane was just-"

"Do you really want to talk about your demented sister right now?"

"I don't know what I want to talk about," he said. "Or what I'm allowed to talk about. I mean…are we going to do this? Or-"

"You blew up at me when I suggested we weren't, so I thought-"

"Well, I want to," he said then, nodding his head slightly as she only rolled her eyes.

"Elfman-"

"I do. And I want you to want it too," he said, turning his head to stare at her. She was as far away from him as she could get on her tiny couch. He took up a good chunk of it, after all.

"I don't… You know that I never wanted a baby, Elfman."

"Then we won't have another," he decided then for the both of him. "This one will be a fluke. And if you dislike him so much, then he can come stay with me and Lisanna at-"

"Oh, what? You thought that it was staying here?'

"Well, I sorta figured," he said, reaching up to rub at the back of his neck. "I mean, don't mothers have to…you know."

"I know what?"

He blushed, laughing slightly. "You gotta feed it."

She blinked. Then she rolled her eyes. "Great. I'm pregnant by a guy who still giggles at-"

"I was only saying," he complained. "Plus, I figured you'd want it near you. Don't mothers, like, want their kids close? I figured."

"Elfman-"

"And I'll come stay with you too. Here." Then he grinned. "Or, you know, you were wanting me to keep that house. We could all move in there! We could have Mira's old room and the baby could have my room and Lisanna could help out and…and…and why don't you look excited about this?"

She only leaned forwards there on the couch, staring straight ahead. "Because, Elfman, this isn't appealing to me. At all."

"But-"

"I'm sorry," she told him. "But the thought of having this…thing doesn't make me feel all mushy inside. Or maternal. Because I'm not. At all. It's just not something I think I can be. I-"

"Yeah, but think about this, Ever," he said then. "Don't babies, like, need lots of stuff?"

"Well, duh, I mean-"

"And you like buying stuff, huh? So you could buy the baby stuff!"

She gave him a glance. "Are you serious right now? You think a shopping spree is going to be the selling point that gets me sold on the idea of having a baby?"

His grin fell some. "Ever, I'm trying here, okay? You think that I'm not scared too? I-"

"I'm not scared," she told him then, her voice not wavering in the slightest. "I'm not, Elfman. Why would I be? It's just a damn child. What would I be scared about?"

"I don't know about you," he began. "But I'm afraid of a lot of things. Mostly things that I've never done before. And I've never done this, obviously, so it's a little frightening to me. I mean, I don't know nothing about babies. I-"

"Then see? How are we supposed to be able to do this if neither of us knows how-"

"I didn't know how to be in a relationship either," he pointed out, glancing over at her then. "Before you. And look. I mean, we have some rocky points, but who doesn't? I love you and you love me. And I know that we wouldn't be perfect parents, but there ain't no one that expects us to be. I'd love the baby and he'd love me. And you'd be just the same."

She turned to glance at him then. "Elfman, I just-"

"It's okay to be scared." He turned to face her then too, having to grab her chin in his hands to keep her from turning way from him. "It is, Ever. It happens to the best of us. You think that Laxus doesn't get scared?"

"You-"

"Because I know that he does. He was scared too, when that woman first dropped Nathan off. Scared because he thought he couldn't be a father. Scared because he didn't know what to do. But you know what? He and Mirajane got through it. Together. And now you're Laxus, which I know that you just love, and I'm Mirajane. Let me help you through this."

They were just sitting there, staring at one another, when suddenly, they weren't. He didn't remember trying to kiss her and he knew there was no way that she would try to kiss him, not in that moment at least, but somehow, they found themselves intertwined. Which wasn't so odd for the two of them. It had been a long past few days.

"I'll take care of you, Ever," he whispered when they parted. Her head was bowed and his lips found their way then to her forehead, which he pressed a kiss to. "I always have. Now give me a chance to take care of our baby too."

When she lifted her head, their eyes locked and he only grinned at her slightly. Though she didn't match it, she also didn't push him away, which was a good sign.

It was a very good sign.

"I need…you," she whispered, as if making an admission more to herself. "These past few days without you-"

"Yeah, I know. I need you too."

Swallowing, she added, "Besides, how else could our kid be a man? Without you?"

He grinned, it falling slightly for a moment. "But…what if we have a girl?"

She looked off then, turning away from him. "So long as she's not a snake like your sister-"

"Ever," he groaned.

"Well."

But he was smiling. Because he knew that it wouldn't be smooth by any account, but they were on the path to being parents.

He didn't think he'd ever been more excited in his life.

"But Lisanna's not getting that damn house," Evergreen told him then. "You hear me?"

"Yeah," he said as his grin spread across his face once more. "I hear you."

* * *

><p>A few weeks later had Laxus rather nervous. Mirajane had been dropping hints about their anniversary, but had yet to give him a solid date on what she considered it to be. Was it the first time they hooked up? Or the day after? Or…or…or…<p>

Freed gave him a definite date for the night they first slept together. Which Laxus, of course, found a little odd, but Freed reasoned that he just remembered the date for the sole fact that it had been when he babysat Nate that time. When the boy was sick. And although Laxus still found it quite odd, he was only thankful.

"So you see, buddy?" he found himself saying to Nathan that morning as they woke up early, him having to slip out of bed slowly as not to wake Mirajane before going to get Nathan. He was still sleepy, but was always down for breakfast, which is what Laxus told him they were making. "Today's pretty dang important to the demon. 'cause she's a woman and stuff."

"Mira."

"Uh-huh," Laxus said. "But remember what I told you to call her today?"

Nathan, who was standing at his father's side, watching him scramble eggs, nodded his head slightly. They'd gone over that the night before, when Mirajane was up at the guildhall working.

Though he didn't like it, the toddler had come to realize that sometimes, Mira wasn't there to put him to bed. She had to work. Bleh. She didn't seem to like it either, but what could the two of them do? Laxus said that they could all blame Gramps for that, but Nathan rather liked the old man; he was funny. So he chose to just blame Laxus.

He blamed him for everything.

"Hey, Nate?"

"Story," the little boy had complained as Laxus, who was laying (uncomfortably) in the boy's toddler bed with him, stopped reading the bedtime story and instead took to talking. "Now."

"Nathan-"

"Now!"

"I wanna talk to you, buddy," he complained. "We'll finish."

Nathan didn't wanna talk! He wanted to see more pictures and hear more story and then whine and cry until Laxus read him another one.

It was usually how nights with out Mirajane went down.

Did it need to be stated that he liked her best? Because he did. Laxus was annoying.

"No."

"It's about Mira."

Nathan glanced up at the man, whose lap he was sitting in. "Mira? Home?"

"She isn't home yet, buddy. You'll see her tomorrow morning. Promise," Laxus said as the boy only went back to staring at his book, waiting for Laxus to turn the page. "I said I just wanna talk about her. I mean, you love Mirajane, huh?"

"Yes!" That was one thing that he would never deny. Mirajane was great. "Love Mira."

"You do, huh?"

"Yes."

Laxus paused then before slowly saying, "Do you remember…before you came to stay with me and Mirajane?"

The boy frowned, not understanding his words. "Laxus, read."

"I will, Nate, but tell me," he went on. "Do you remember before me and Mirajane? Huh? Do you remember…Mommy?"

He glanced up at his father, just staring at him before going back to his book, seemingly unbothered by his words. A year was a long time, after all, for a three year old. Laxus thought, maybe, there might be something in there.

"Come on, buddy. You have to remember Mommy, don't you?"

"Mommy," he repeated. "Mommy bear, daddy bear, baby bear."

"Not a story, Nate."

"Story, Laxus."

With a sigh, he gave up. "Well, anyhow, if you remember or not isn't that big of a deal. Because she's not ever coming back, it looks like."

Laxus did this sometimes. He would just talk and talk and talk. Mira did it too. Nathan figured it was a grownup thing. He liked to hear himself talk too. And sing. They must like to too.

"And…and you know how Mirajane doesn't let me call you Laxus anymore?"

"Daddy," he responded, glancing up at the man. "Laxus?"

"That's right," he said, nodding his head. "I'm your…daddy."

It still felt odd on his tongue, truthfully.

"Daddy." Nate wasn't deterred from his true goal. Reaching out, he patted the book his father was holding. "Read!"

Laxus only ignored that though as he looked straight ahead then, at the wall in front of the boy's bed. He wanted to put a little bookcase against it, so Nate his own little space for his books.

And so he got his own bookcase back.

"I did a lot of bad things, Nate, before you, Even after you." He was speaking slowly then, softly. Nathan just wished he'd hurry his little speech up. They were in the middle of a story. He had to know if the puppy got back home or not. "And you were one of 'em. Err, well, I guess… I don't ever want you to know that. To feel that way. The way I feel about… I don't want that for you.

"So… Mirajane's the closet I've ever been with a woman. She's… I didn't think I'd ever feel this way. I never wanted to feel this way. But now? Now I can't help it. Because I do. I do feel like this. And I ain't ever letting it go. I can't. I love her, buddy."

"Love Mira," Nate agreed. Maybe agreeing with the guy would help him along. At least the toddler hoped so. "Love Mira lots."

"Yeah. We both do, don't we?" Laxus leaned down to nuzzle the toddler's head making Nathan giggle. "And that's why I'mma ask her to be your mommy. But…first I need you to want that. Do you want Mirajane to be your mommy? Huh? You can call her that and…well, it probably won't mean a lot to you. It's just a word. She'll do all the same stuff, of course, that she does already, but, well, it'll just make her feel good to hear it. Can you say that word?"

"Mommy." Of course. He and Mirajane talked about mommies all the time. Like how some of his stuffed animals were mommies to the other ones. Or how Bisca was Asuka's mommy. And sometimes, when she was really tired and they'd run out off books to reread, she'd tell him about her mommy and how much she loved her.

Did he mention that he loved Mirajane? 'cause he did.

"I want you to call Mirajane that now, okay? It'll make her really happy if you did. And don't you wanna make Mira happy?"

Always. Unless her being happy interfered with one of his plans. Like covering the doggy with his finger paints. Or tracking his muddy shoes on the carpet because he liked to leave footprints. Other than that, he was pretty down with making the woman happy.

She was, after all, the best person in the whole wide world.

"Yes," Nathan told his father. "Yes, Laxus."

"Yes, Daddy."

"Yes, Daddy," he corrected. "Yes."

"Then can you do it? Huh? Tomorrow morning? Can you call Mira mommy?"

"Yes." He nodded his head. Anything for Mira. And then, because he was getting a tad sleepy, he patted his book. "Read, Daddy?"

"Yeah, buddy," the man sighed, though he was still rather tense about the whole thing. "Where were we?"

That was the night before though. And the real show of his son's memory was about to show itself. Because Laxus knew if Mira heard him prompting the kid to call her that, she'd complain that Laxus was coaching him or confusing him. But if Nathan did it all on his own, Laxus figured that Mira would just love it and it'd make her happy and, well, maybe it'd calm her down about that whole baby thing.

Or at least he hoped.

Not to mention, he knew that Mirajane wanted the boy to call him daddy because, well, she wanted him to forget that he at one point didn't know Laxus. Which was smart. But he wanted the same to go for Mirajane. He knew, somewhere deep down that the boy's mother was just gone. The same his was. When women left their kids, they left for life. Or at least that was the woe of being born a Dreyer.

Mira wanted though, he could tell, to be the boy's mother. And he figured, had he not been involved, if he had just let her take him without ever confessing his feelings for her, that Mirajane would have raised him that way.

With him in the picture though, Laxus figured that he complicated things in her mind and muddied the waters. Well, he didn't want he to have to worry about that. Because he knew that eventually, his little demon would wear him down about the baby thing. And how sad would it be for Nate to realize that he wasn't really Mira's son? But another kid was? Then there'd be jealousy and maybe resentment and, well, Laxus just didn't want that.

Plus, he'd be marrying Mirajane eventually. He knew that he would. He'd have to. And…he sorta wanted to. It'd make her Nate's stepmother and, well, what was the point of that? When she was basically his real mother already?

"Mira," Nate told him then. "Mommy."

"That's right. And don't tell her that I said anything about it, huh?"

Well, that command was just too much for the boy. He only took to wrapping his arms around Laxus' leg and whining about being hungry.

"I know it's early, buddy," Laxus sighed. "But Mirajane gets up before dawn. We had to beat that out."

The dog, who slept in Nathan's room with him, had followed them into the kitchen only to collapse on the kitchen floor with a sigh. It was even too early for him.

Laxus heard it too, only a few minutes later, when Mirajane got up. His dragon senses helped in that department. He heard her go into the master bathroom and close the door behind her.

She must have thought that he'd gone off training or something. Snicker.

Nathan had taken to playing with the magnets on the fridge, another favorite thing of his. He liked to make anything and everything a toy. Sometimes, when he got stuck with Makarov in the man's office at the guild, he'd make papers a playmate.

He had quite the imagination, Mirajane said. Laxus just called him annoying.

"What are you guys doing up so early?" Mirajane yawned later as she came into the kitchen to find them there. Laxus was finished up with her breakfast and only turned to go put it on the table. "Oh, wow, Laxus, you-"

She was close enough then that he only had to reach out and grab her, pulling her close to him with one hand after setting the plate down. Pressing a kiss against her down bangs (she hadn't had a chance to put them up yet), he only whispered, "Happy anniversary."

And Mirajane grinned at him and he allowed a little smirk to slip pass his usual guard. Nathan, seeing that Mira was up and totally ignoring him, rushed over to remedy this.

"Me," he complained, holding out his arms to her. "Mira!"

Laxus frowned, glancing down at the kid. Had they not just gone over-

"Oh, Nate." Mirajane pushed away from him then, so that she could lean down and pick up the man's son. "You're helping Daddy-"

"Mommy." He wrapped his arms around her neck, snuggling up close to her. "S'eepy. Hun'gy."

Mirajane, for some reason, frowned at that. "Did you say mommy?"

Laxus wasn't expecting that. Nathan only tilted his head up to stare at her.

"Mommy," he repeated before resting his face aginast her neck once more. "Mommy."

"Oh, Laxus," Mirajane sighed, bouncing the child slightly. "He wants his mother. What do you think made him remember? I mean, do you think we did something? What are we-"

"Uh, demon?"

"Hmmmm?" She was going to take a seat then, letting the child sit in her lap. And, seeing as Mirajane always said that he came first, Nathan only turned to help himself to her breakfast, going for the bacon first.

"I think," Laxus said slowly, just staring at her. How was it that Mirajane always managed to foil his plans? Huh? "I think that he's calling you that, babe. Not asking for her. Aren't you, Nate?"

"What? Why would he-"

"Mommy." Nathan turned then, holding out a piece of bacon to Mirajane. He knew how to share. With her anyways. And the doggy. "Hung'y?"

She blinked. "Nathan, I… I'm Mira."

"Mira." He kept trying to shove that bacon in her mouth. "Hung'y?"

"No, Nate," Laxus growled softly. "You wanna call her something different now, don't you?"

"Mommy." She finally accepted his offer of food, but he only went back to the plate to get her more. "Hung'y?"

"Laxus." Mirajane looked to him, frowning. "Why is he suddenly-"

"I don't know, Mira. Why do you always blame me for stuff? Sheesh."

"Did you-"

"No."

"Don't lie to me."

"I-"

"Mommy.' Nathan fed Mirajane what he had in his hand before going back to get some more for himself. He'd only share so much, after all.

"Nathan," Mira sighed, looking at the little boy then who was stuffing his face. "Why are you calling me mommy?"

Shit. Laxus knew he was caught then. But the boy only glanced up at his name.

"Mommy bear, daddy bear, baby bear." Then he giggled and went back to his food. The kid's thoughts were always so scrambled that sometimes Laxus didn't even understand him.

Mirajane seemed to think that she did though for some reason.

"Awe." She snuggled him close, which Nathan didn't hate, but he was kinda trying to eat. You'd think the woman would be a little more considerate. "Is that why, Nathan? Because you know that you're the baby and think that me and Laxus are the mommy and daddy?"

"Yes," he whined, though he was just doing that so she'd let him go back to his breakfast. Honestly, he wanted to go back to sleep too. "Mommy."

When Laxus came back to the table with his own plate of food, he found Mirajane almost in tears. She always cried though, at the dumbest of things, so he only smiled slightly.

"He loves you, Mirajane," he said with a slight shrug. "And so do I. You are his mommy. So why make things all complicated?"

She sat there for a moment, silent, before saying, "Laxus?"

"Yeah?"

"I think I'm gonna need another plate."

"Nate," Laxus groaned as the little boy only glanced up at him with a giggle. "Did you steal Mira's food?"

"Mommy," he reminded his father. And Laxus couldn't help, but to smile as he slowly got to his feet.

Mommy.

"Is there more to this?" Mirajane asked then, slowly, as Laxus came to bring her a plate as well as a cup of coffee before going to get Nathan some juice. "Or was this your big anniversary thing?"

"Oh, no, demon. You kiddin'? I mean, I know you work until the afternoon, but when you get off, we're going somewhere real nice. Just me and you."

"Whose going to babysit?"

"Your sister and Bickslow," he said with a shrug. "You know how agreeable the two of them have been, recently."

"It's because they're in love."

"Shut up, demon."

"They are."

"Bickslow told me himself, back when they first started hanging out, that it was just that. Hanging out. So-"

"Mmmm, I dunno, Laxus. I heard that they kissed."

"Ew."

"Laxus."

He only went to take his seat once more. "I can't see that. Them together. At all."

"And you know how many people can't see us together?"

"Idiots," he said with a shake of his head. "I mean, who couldn't picture this? We're the best family ever."

She only leaned down to nuzzle Nathan's head as he giggled. Laxus was right.

They were the best family ever. Weren't they?

* * *

><p><strong>The next one's the last one. <strong>


	30. Chapter 30

Parenthood

Chapter 30

"It was a most excellent choice, Laxus," Freed said, nodding his head slightly as the man showed off his newest purchase.

"I dunno," Bickslow said, tongue tumbling out of his mouth. "I mean, good eye on your part, boss, but I'd never buy Lisanna somethin' so flashy."

"That's because you have poor taste and don't give a real damn about your broad," Laxus grumbled as he closed the tiny box before pocketing it once more. "Besides, once Ever shows up, she'll see it and agree that it's the best of the best."

"Of course it is, Laxus," Freed agreed.

"It's pretty nice," Bickslow was quick to follow.

"Nice," his babies mimicked. "Nice."

"How are you gonna ask her?" the tattooed man asked as they sat around the boss's kitchen table, going over battle formations and things. They'd shifted, of course, onto Laxus' most recent buy rather quickly. Both he and Freed were concerned, after all, that their idol was going to be married off soon enough, leaving them both in the dust.

"Whadda you mean how am I gonna ask her?" Laxus grumbled as he looked back over the map in front of them. "I'm gonna just ask her."

"You have to make it magical, don't ya?"

"What are you blabbering about, Bickslow?" Laxus complained. "I'm just gonna ask her, she's gonna say yes, and we're gonna be done with the whole-"

"While I agree with you, of course, Laxus," Freed began.

"Just get to the point."

"Right," he said, nodding his head. "Well, you know Mirajane. She'll want it to be special."

"Special, huh," Laxus mumbled.

"Yes. And that is only the proposal," Freed went on. "I mean, Mira is going to want a dream wedding, I am sure."

"Dream wedding?" Laxus frowned. "That sounds like money."

"That is money, boss," Bickslow told him. "She's gonna want a nice venue, yeah?"

"The hell is a venue?"

"It's a-"

"And her dress," Freed added. "She's going to want a nice dress."

"I-"

"You can't forget the reception either," Bickslow went on.

Laxus growled. "Well, she ain't gettin' all that! We're eloping."

"Something tells me that Mirajane won't be too keen on that," Freed told him.

"Well, she better get keen on it."

"W-Well-"

A knocking at the front door stopped Freed from speaking. Laxus, annoyed, only barked out, "It's open, Ever," without a second thought.

"Hi," Nathan, who was seated on the kitchen floor with his toys, called out to the woman when she walked into the room.

Evergreen only nodded at the toddler, who giggled. He really liked Ever. Then again, he really liked everyone!

"You're late," the boy's father grumbled as the woman came to claim the last seat at the table.

"I didn't really think that I was needed for this," she told him stiffly. "Considering."

Since finding out that she was keeping the child, Laxus had taken Ever off the Thunder God Tribe, if only in theory.

"You're pregnant," he grumbled to her. "What would happen if you, like, lost the kid out on the job? It'd be bloody and nasty and…no. Just no."

Ever seemed to resent the child even more, if only for that reason. It didn't matter that both Freed and Laxus had assured her that after having the baby, she'd be back to business. Nope. She was upset regardless.

Although, according to Mirajane, Ever was only going to get worse, the further into her pregnancy she got.

"She'll be real moody and agitated," his girlfriend told him once.

"And what? You think that saying that is going to make me want to get you all knocked up?"

"Oh, Laxus, if I just got pregnant, you'd get it," Mira had assured him. "You'd feel all prideful and happy and Nathan would love it. It'd just be great."

He had his doubts.

But still, that wasn't the problem of the day. Oh, no.

"Boss here has something for his woman," Bickslow announced to Evergreen not soon after she sat down. The woman only frowned.

"And what would that be?" she asked as Mira's dog strode into the room to take another good sniff of all the guests. You could never be too certain, after all. No way the mutt wanted anything happening to the little master.

"Woof woof," Nathan called out to him as Bickslow's dolls cried out in fear. The dog kept trying to jump up and snatch them out of the air, thinking that they were toys or something. "Woof woof!"

"Go," Bickslow growled at the dog who only took to sniffling at Evergreen. She wasn't too thrilled about the thing either. "You filthy beast!"

"Leave him alone," Laxus sighed, being rather beat down about the dog. "He's part of the family."

That got drove home to him constantly. Whenever the dog peed on something or chewed up something or even when he'd growled at Laxus a few weeks back (in the dog's defense, Laxus was scolding Nathan about something and he thought the little master was in danger), Mirajane would just repeated those words like a mantra.

"He's part of the family, Laxus," she'd say as Nathan would go rush to go throw his arms around his dog, shielding him from his father. "And you don't kick people out of the family."

"He's not a part of my family."

"Yes, he is. And he loves you. You're his daddy."

"Mirajane-"

"Look at him. He's begging you not to hurt him, Daddy."

"Daddy," Nate would pipe up. "Doggy not bad."

"No, Nate, he's not. There's no bad dogs, Laxus. Just bad owners."

"You're his owner!"

"Well."

Ugh. He went through that battle almost weekly. At the moment though, Bickslow only took to nodding his head as the dog left his dolls alone and headed over to Nathan for belly rub. The toddler happily obliged.

"I get it, boss," the seith assured him. "Just like me and my babies, huh? They're my family too!"

"Papa!" They all dove in close to him as Bickslow only grinned. Ever took to rolling her eyes before looking to Laxus.

"So what exactly is it that you have?" she asked. "Laxus?"

Producing the ring box once more from his pocket, he said, "I'm asking the demon to-"

"Ooh!" She literally filched the box from his hand. "Let me look. How are you going to do it? Is it going to be private? Can I be there? Can you do it at the guild? Or are you going to do it at dinner? Don't do it at dinner. Everyone does that and it's totally-"

"What is with you people?" Laxus grumbled. "I'm going to wait until she gets home from work tonight and-"

"Laxus, you have to put some thought behind this," Ever told him. "Oh, I know. You can serenade her and-"

"Ew, gross."

"Laxus-"

"Plus, I can't play a lick of guitar. Or any instrument," he went on. "Mirajane isn't going to care how I ask, anyhow. She just-"

"Mommy." Nathan glanced over at them then. He could hear them talking about the woman, after all. "Mommy 'n' Laxus. Ring."

Freed glanced over at the child before back at Laxus. "Incorporate the child into it."

"Into what? I'm not-"

"Yes," Ever gushed as she stared at the ring. "Nathan, come here."

"No."

"Nathan-"

"No!"

"Come here. Now."

Huffing slightly, the toddler left his doggy and toys behind to go over to the woman. Sometimes Ever was annoying.

"Here." She picked him up before moving to set him in Bickslow's lap, making the man frown slightly.

"Hey-"

"Just hold him," Ever complained as Laxus frowned. Nathan looked across the table though, at his father, and waved. Slowly, the man lifted his own hand to return the gesture.

"Now," the woman went on as she moved to grab Nathan's little face in one of her hands, forcing him to look at her. "Repeat after me. Can you do that?"

"No!"

"Nat-"

"Just start talking," Laxus sighed, wanting to get the whole thing over with. "He'll do it."

Ever glanced at the man before back at his son. Slowly, she said, "Say, Mira will you marry us?"

Nathan opened his mouth and stuck his tongue out at her.

"Nathan!"

Well. After Laxus scolded him a little, the boy let out a long breath.

"Mira," he repeated. "Marry?"

"You have to say it the way I said it," Evergreen told him. "Mirajane, will you marry us?"

"No."

"Nathan-"

"Hey, buddy?" Bickslow glanced down at the child in his lap. "How 'bout this? You wanna make Mira real happy, huh?"

"Mira. Yes. Mommy. Love Mommy."

"Mira would really like it if you asked her if she'd marry Laxus. Can you do that? Can you ask Mira if she wants to marry you?"

"Mira, marry me!" he demanded. Laxus couldn't help but smile slightly.

"You wanna ask her for me, buddy?"

"Uh-huh." Nathan nodded slightly before moving to jump out of Bickslow's lap. He wanted to go ask the doggy too!

"Woof woof," he called as he headed back over to his dog. "Marry me!"

"Marry me," Bickslow's dolls called as they floated around their father. "Marry me!"

"Great," Laxus groaned. "Now the kid's gonna ruin everything. Mira'll walk in and he'll ask her right off the bat."

"Marry me, Daddy," he called over to the man. "Now!"

"Nathan, behave."

The three year old only giggled, dropping down to the floor so he could get back to playing with his toys.

"This is great," Ever said as she gave Laxus back the ring then. "I mean, here I was, feeling so bad about what's going on with me, that I forgot that you and Mirajane are so…so…in love."

Laxus blinked. Then he looked off. "Yeah, well."

"And it's only been what? A year and a few months now?" Ever asked. "I think it's just great that you're so happy, Laxus."

"Uh-huh."

"We all think that, boss," Bickslow told him with a grin. "We all really like Mirajane. Don't we, guys?"

"Yes," his babies said. "Yes."

"She is very…shapely," Freed offered up. "And friendly."

"She's okay," was the best Ever was going to give. Laxus only frowned

"Shapely?" Bickslow repeated. "What's that mean?"

"What do you think it means?' Ever complained.

"I don't know, Ever, that's why I'm askin'!"

Laxus growled then. "Would you all shut up? I don't remember asking your opinion on my demon anyhow!"

That got them to all fall silent. After a moment though, Evergreen smiled.

"You're going to make her let me be the maid of honor, right?"

"What? Laxus frowned. "I-"

"No way." Bickslow rubbed at his chest. "Lissy's gonna be that. Since I'm the best man."

"You are not," Freed told him, sitting up taller. "I am, of course."

"What? No. I-"

"I think Elfman should be," Ever said then. Even Laxus did a double take on that one. "I mean, he is going to be your brother now."

"He is not my broth-"

"Marry me," Nathan started up again. "Marry me, Daddy! Marry me, F'eed. P'ease?"

"Buddy, if you don't stop yelling, it's going to be naptime," Laxus told him, glancing over there. "I mean it."

Evergreen rolled her eyes. "My point is that I get to be the maid of honor."

"You don't even like Mirajane," Freed pointed out, genuinely confused. "Why-"

"I don't like any women that I know," Ever told him. "But I plan to be as involved in all of their weddings as possible. Even Erza, should anyone want that hag as a wife."

Bickslow frowned. "What's so great about weddings? Other than the open bars."

"What open bar?" Laxus frowned. "There ain't gonna be one of those."

"Of course there will be, boss."

"You idiot," he said. "Don't you realize I'd be the one that had to pay for that if there was one? Which there won't be, by the way."

"Good," Ever said. "If I can't drink, none of you can."

"Whatever," Bickslow told her. "Your kid's gonna come out an alcoholic."

"I haven't been drinking, Bickslow," she hissed at him, her tone taking things further than any of the others were. She did that a lot more frequently those past few weeks. She went from zero to a hundred in a way only a pregnant woman could. "And how dare you say that? You-"

"Okay, okay," Laxus sighed, reaching out to pat the table twice. "Let's get back to the point here."

"Right." Freed was in his element once more. "About our upcoming-"

"Not that," Laxus grumbled. "I was talking about me and Mirajane. What am I going to do? If she comes home now, the kid's just going to ask her without giving me a chance to-"

"What time does Mira get off?" Ever asked.

"I dunno. She probably closes."

"Then there you go," she said. "He'll be in bed when she arrives and, in the morning, he'll probably forget about it. Until you prompt him. Just wait until you're ready and then remind him about it. You know how forgetful he is."

Laxus only sighed. "I guess so. I mean-"

There was a knock at the door again. That time though, the person didn't wait for an invite.

"Hey, Laxus? Are you here? Mirajane said that you had Nate and I-"

"Lissy!" Bickslow and his dolls perked up at the sound of her voice. They even rushed back to the living room to greet her, his babies did. If Nathan loved Mirajane, then his dolls thought the world of Lisanna. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey," she greeted as she came into the kitchen, Nathan jumping up and leaving his toys behind to rush over to her. Once he was near her though, he only stuck his tongue out.

They had a rather love-hate relationship, the two of them did. Which meant that Lisanna wholly loved him and Nathan, for the most part, just loved to hate her. Not that Lisanna wasn't great. Because she was. But she was much more fun to get all riled up.

"I just came by to pick Nathan up," she said as the boy took to giggling. Bickslow was standing then, going over to hug his girlfriend. She was more concerned with Laxus though. "Mira said that you complained the other day about being stuck wit him all the time."

"Complained is a strong word."

"And something tells me that she used it correctly," the woman responded. "And Bickslow, let me go."

He only squeezed her harder. "Where were you going to take the kid?"

"I don't know. The park or something."

"Boss." He let her go suddenly before turning to look at the kitchen table once more. "I gotta cut out of this meeting early."

Laxus frowned. "Why? Where are you going?"

"I dunno," he said with a shrug. "The park or something."

"Bickslow-"

"Marry me!" Nathan came over to hit Lisanna's leg making her frown down at him. "Marry me."

"You want me to what?" Lisanna looked down at the little boy with a frown. "Why are you-"

"I got your sister this," Laxus grumbled as Bickslow only patted Nathan on the head.

"Sorry, buddy," the seith said. "She's taken."

Lisanna went over to Laxus to take the little ring box from her. Before she even opened it, she was giddy.

"You're asking Mirajane to-"

"Yes, stupid."

"Hey! Bickslow, don't let him call me that."

"Uh, boss?" He bowed his head some then, reaching up to scratch at his cheek beneath his sallet. "Can you not be so disrespectful to the, uh, lady? She don't like it."

Laxus only snorted, leaning back in his chair. "So anyhow, Lisanna, you can take the brat if you want. But bring him back for bed. I might need in him the morning."

"You're asking her in the morning?"

"I might."

"How?" Lisanna asked, going to hand him the ring back. "Are you going to do something cute? Or, ooh, you should-"

"What is up with this stupid idea that I need to do more than just fucking ask her?" Laxus put his ring back in his pocket. "I mean, seriously? The woman is getting a damn ring. What more does she need?"

"Mirajane deserves a lot more than you."

Laxus blinked. Then he narrowed his eyes at Lisanna. Instead of addressing her though, he only said, 'Bickslow?"

He was scratching at his cheek again, not wanting to look at either of them. "Uh, yes, boss?"

"Tell your lady to get the fuck out of my apartment before I do more than call her names."

"Uh, yes, boss."

"Bickslow-"

"Let's go, Lissy," he said, patting her on the shoulder. "Quickly, please."

She gave Laxus the stink eye before going to pick up Nathan.

"Fine. Go get his little backpack of toys out of his room, Bickslow. But you better not screw up asking her, Dreyar," Lisanna threatened as Nathan only wiggled. He hated being carried. Especially by Lisanna. Bleh.

"Yeah, and you better hope that I don't catch you without your stupid boyfriend around," Laxus grumbled as he pocketed the ring. "Thinking you're in charge of somethin' 'cause your man's around. Brat."

"I'm not a brat! Bickslow-"

"Lissy, what do you want him to call you?" the man complained.

"Uh, gee, try something not derogative?"

Laxus only rolled his eyes though, sinking further into his chair. Nathan liked annoying Lisanna, fine, but she liked pestering his father a lot more.

"I don't know why you like him so much," Lisanna complained in her usual way to Bickslow after they left the apartment, Nathan holding tight to the man's hand. His babies, who were floating overhead, took to giggling. "He's not that great."

"You and boss just gotta learn to click," Bickslow said. "I mean, you guys are going to be siblings now, huh?"

"That man is not my brother."

"See? You're already alike!"

"What do you mean?"

"He said the same thing about Elfman."

She gave him a look at that. "We're nothing alike."

"You both love Mirajane, you both think I'm pretty snazzy, you both like pickles. I mean, the similarities are astronomical!"

That time, he got a blink. Then a sigh. "Anyways, was there something you actually wanted to do today? Or-"

"Park," Nathan told her. It was what she'd said before, anyhow. And even the mention of the place could set him off for hours. "Park, Bick'o."

Lisanna sent him a look too. He still, to that day, refused to say her name. It was actually rather annoying.

"We can go to the park, kid," he told the boy. "And maybe get some ice cream on the way, huh?"

"Bickslow-"

"Yay." Nathan looked up at him and grinned. "Yes."

"Why would you say that?" Lisanna frowned at her boyfriend. "I mean, we were home free here. He was already happy."

"Well…I wanted ice cream. So we were kinda getting it either way."

"Ice cream!" His babies were excited over this for some reason, but Lisanna couldn't figure it out. They, for obvious reasons, couldn't eat it. "Ice cream!"

So after stopping to get some cones, they were on their way to the park. Even there, Nathan was more focused on Bickslow's dolls than either of his current caretakers. Which was fine with them, as they weren't too dedicated to watching him either.

"So what are we going to do after we get rid of him?" Bickslow asked Lisanna as they sat down on a park bench, the boy only a little ways away from them, chasing after Bickslow's dolls. Randomly, the seith would force the dolls to do something, a trick or formation, that would make the toddler giggle.

He was rather attached to the little boss man, he would admit.

"You wanna go out to dinner?"

"Meh."

"We have to eat."

"What do you think this ice cream is?"

"Bickslow-"

"Is it not food? Huh?"

"You know as well as I do that in two hours, you'll be starved. So stop playing."

He laughed slightly, holding his cone over to her then, as he knew she always liked to eat not only her ice cream, but also at least half of his.

"You have a cute tongue," he said when she licked the cone. That made Lisanna blush and pull away from him.

"Shut up."

"You should think about moving your guild mark there, huh? Match me? Huh?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Eh," he said, shaking his head. "You're right. I like it right where it is, on your thigh. Nothing better than tracing it with my tongue."

She blushed at his last sentence, from the way he spoke it softly to the way he bumped her with his elbow while he was at it.

Though it had taken some time, they had recently taken off the ruse that seemed to only be fooling the two of them and no longer claimed they were just dating. Lisanna openly told people that yes, she had a boyfriend and Bickslow, well…his life didn't change much.

Except in one faction.

"Stop," she told him then, shifting away. It was a rather cool day out, but she was heating right up. "Seriously."

Bickslow only sighed slightly. It wasn't like he had been expecting Lisanna to give it up easy or anything. He wasn't. He just wished she didn't have to be so straight-laced about the subject. The most he'd gotten to do when she spent the night at his place was makeout a little. Sheesh. He was about ready to hand her over to the Salamander, no hard feelings.

"But," Lisanna was saying then. "It does kinda look cute. On your tongue. Or whatever. It'd different. It makes you…special. Who else would think about that? You're really…cool, Bickslow."

Then she had to go and say stuff like that and, well, waiting wasn't so bad. Not really.

"Yeah, kid," he sighed as he let her steal another bit of his ice cream cone. "You're pretty dang special yourself."

* * *

><p>"What are you all smiley about?"<p>

"What?" Evergreen claimed her seat at Elfman's table with a slight sigh. "I'm not smiling."

"No," he agreed. Ever rarely did anything rash like that. "But you're not scowling either."

She gave him one then, just for bringing it up. "There. Happy?"

"I'm always happy."

"Of course you are."

He grinned at her then. "Where were you anyhow? We were supposed to meet here an hour ago."

She glanced around the guildhall, as if to see if there were any other people she could possibly find of interest. No such luck. Freed was still with Laxus and Bickslow and Lisanna were off with the brat.

Sigh.

"I got caught up."

"With?"

"What diff-"

"I'm just curious, Ever."

"I was over at Laxus'," she told him, glancing up as Mira walked by, poised to ask the woman to bring her a drink. Then she remembered.

Double sigh.

"Doing what?"

"Elfman, what do you care?"

He only went back to staring down at his mug of ale. Ever had brought him right back down.

The woman waited until she saw Mirajane go back up to the bar before leaning across the table to stare at her boyfriend.

"Laxus is going to propose to Mirajane and he showed me the ring," was what she whispered. Elfman choked on the ale he was about to sling back. So much so that he had to get out of his chair, coughing loudly. This worried Mirajane as much as Ever as she rushed right back over from the bar to check on him.

"Elfman." Mira came to pat him on the back. "Are you okay? What's wrong? Did Ever do something?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ever was still sitting there and only glared at the other woman. "Snake?"

Mira frowned, looking away from her brother. "What did you just call me?"

"What do you think I just-"

Elfman finally finished coughing then and only reached out to pat Mirajane on the head, making her look up at him.

"I just," he wheezed, "choked on my beer. That's all."

"Well," the barmaid said slowly, patting his chest then. "As long as you're okay."

"I am."

After Mirajane left, Elfman only reclaimed his spot at the table, still looking rather flustered. Ever only rolled her eyes.

"Nice, Elfman," she grumbled. "You are, like, the worst person under pressure."

"Hey," he complained. "You can't just spring news like that on a man."

"It couldn't have come as that big of a shock. I mean, she has been weaseling her way in with Laxus for awhile now."

Rolling his eyes, he took a much smoother drink of his ale that time, as if to calm himself some. In a low voice, as not to alert his sister again, he said, "I can't believe that he's not asking me first."

"Asking you first? What? Do all the Strausses wanna marry Laxus?"

"Ask me for her hand, Ever," he clarified. "He should do that. I'm the man that should get to pick who Mira marries."

"In what century?"

"Evergreen-"

"I don't think that you're being considered in this at all," she said. "And hey, trust me. I tried to wiggle you in there."

"What do you mean?"

She sat up taller. "I suggested that you be his best man, considering I'll be the maid of honor, but-"

"Maid of- Ever, you don't even like her."

"It's not about liking her, Elfman. It's about her being Laxus' wife."

"What diff-"

"Once she marries Laxus, it's locked in," Ever said. "It means that he's really changed and he's really with her. That means that…well… It's kinda like how I don't like children."

"No kidding."

"But I have to pretend to like his brat. Because it's Laxus' son. Once he married Mirajane, she'll be Mrs. Laxus Dreyar. You understand? I won't have much say in anything any longer."

"I don't think that you have much say as it is."

She leaned over the table and hit his arm then making the man frown, rubbing at his bicep.

"Ever-"

"This is all real now," she repeated then, staring at him. "He's really… I mean, I don't want him. Or anything. I…I'm with you. I love you. But…"

"If it makes you feel any better," Elfman sighed then as he shook his head. "I think it's been over for awhile now." When she nodded, he said, "For them anyways. Me and you? We still got a good few months in here, huh? Before the… Before we're parents. So… We should make the most of 'em. Right?"

And she hated it, the whole situation, but that was why she stuck so close to Elfman. Because even when she didn't feel like it, which was rare to begin with, he could squeeze a smile out of her.

He just had that effect.

On her at least.

"Right," she whispered, fighting the grin to the best of her ability. But even the woman of stone couldn't deny that her beast looked pretty cute when he was trying to make her feel better. "You're so right, Elf."

They left eventually, to get back on schedule with their original plans for the day, which was moving some more of her stuff into his house, Elfman gong to hug the crap out of Mirajane before he took off. Which she found a little odd, but put it out of her mind quickly, as she had a whole night left of bartending to do.

When she got home that night, the last thing she wanted to do was anything real. She just wanted to relax.

Laxus had that all taken care of.

"Mmmm. What sort of stuff did you put in the bath, dragon?"

"I dunno," he said as he sunk down into the tub first. "I just went out and bought some stuff in bottles that said they smelled good."

"And bubbles," Mirajane giggled as she quickly climbed in with him.

"Of course."

"Mmmm," she moaned as he began to knead at her shoulders. "What'd you do?"

"Whaddya mean? I didn't do-"

"You had to have done something." She sighed as he released her shoulders before moving to reach around her and pull her hair tie out so that her bangs fell down. She only giggled, never rightly getting why he liked them down so much. Most guys didn't. It made her look more…innocent with them up.

Then again, that alone was probably why Laxus preferred them the other way. She wasn't naïve with him. Not anything close to innocent. Just a demon. A very, very naughty demon.

"Can't I just treat you sometimes?"

"This is a treat?"

"The money those stupid aroma shits cost? This is a treat."

"Taking me out to eat? To, like, a steak dinner? That's a treat. This is something you should do more often."

"I-"

"And not just because Nate's taking his nap. Those don't count."

"They don't?"

"Nope."

"Hmmm."

"So you better be planning some sort of steak dinner soon, dragon. I'm use to a higher-class of men, you know."

"I'm as high as you get, babe."

"Right."

"I am."

"You know who I was talking to today?"

"No," Laxus grumbled. "Why would I know who-"

"Makarov."

He paused. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Considering he don't do nothing anymore, but sit around the guild, that ain't surprising."

"You know what he told you?"

"Again, how could I possibly know-"

"Behave."

"Mira, this might come to a shock to you, little demon, but the last thing I want to think about when I'm naked with my girlfriend is my grandfather. I know, you're astounded, but-"

"He let it slip that you're making a big change in your life," Mirajane said, those words alone making Laxus pale.

"Uh, Mira-"

"And that he's so proud of you and that you're really a man now."

"…Is that all he said?" Laxus was really sweating it then. What if the old coot had ruined his-

"Mmmhmm," she said then. "But I know what he was talking about."

Considering it was Mirajane, Laxus figured he had better figure out what she thought it meant before he jumped to any conclusions.

"What?"

"That you're ready to have another baby!"

His eyes widened as she cocked her head back to stare up at him. "M-Mira, I don't-"

"I'm so happy, Laxus, that you've decided this. I mean, gosh, what if we get pregnant real fast? And then our baby's born right after Elf's? That would be, like, the best thing ever! And-"

"Mira, I really don't-

"Mira!" they heard then from the other room. It was loud. Nathan. He was calling out for her. "Mira!"

"Oh-"

"Wait," Laxus groaned, holding her down when she tried to get up. "He probably just heard your little outburst right then. You did practically scream it."

"But-"

"He's fine. He's a big boy. He- Oh, no," Laxus groaned when he heard the sound of the little boy's bedroom door opening with a bang, no doubt smacking against the wall behind it. "Nathan! I told you to stop slamming things open!"

"It was your fault," Mira told him softly. "You leave doors cracked all the time."

It was true. The same could be said about their bedroom door, which banged open then, as well as the master bathroom door, which came next.

"Mommy."

Mirajane only sunk lower in the water as Nathan came into the room. Laxus, trying to be sweet, had lit candles (even though he hated the way they smelled) allowing them to forgo the overhead light. Nathan didn't like the dark much though and only rushed over to the side of the tub to stare in at them.

"Bath?" He looked to Laxus then. "Laxus?"

"Buddy, go back to bed," he ordered as Mira hid beneath the bubbles. Nathan was just like her though and thought bubbles were the best. He started to climb into the tub as well, jammies and all.

"Nathan, no." Laxus quickly moved to push the boy back. "You-"

"Mira." Nathan looked to her, wanting her to let him play in the bubbles. She only smiled at him slightly, which seemed to set off a chain reaction in his head. "Mira! Marry me."

"What?" The little boy had quite the problem with enunciation and, as Mira had never heard him say the word marry, only frowned. "You can't get in the bath, baby, so-"

"Nathan," Laxus hissed, sitting up then. "Go to bed. Mira and I are-"

"Marry me." He was back to peeking into the tub, staring at Mirajane. "Mommy. Marry me."

"M-Marry? Whose talking about getting married?" She looked up at Laxus. "Ooh, is it Elfman and Evergreen?"

"N-"

"Marry me," Nathan repeated. "'n' Daddy."

Laxus growled. The little brat. When did he think it was so great to tack that on the end? Huh? It was almost like he planned it.

"You want… Laxus." Mirajane moved to shift away from him then, glancing over his shoulder. "Are you-"

"Well, damn it, kid." He was getting out of the tub then, bubbles sticking to his body. Bleh. He hated the things. Going to grab a towel, he added, "You always ruin everything."

With Laxus gone, Nathan clambered right into the tub, Mira, in her shock, not moving fast enough to stop him.

"Nathan!"

He only giggled though. It was just like swimming!

"Bubbas."

"You little brat," Laxus grumbled. "You don't even care, do you? That you just ruined my proposal?"

Mira looked up from Nathan then, who was in heaven with the bubbles, to stare at her boyfriend. "A-Are you? Proposing? Or-"

"It was supposed to be a damn surprise."

"I'm pretty surprised," she told him, still only staring with wide eyes. Nathan splashed some water at her.

"Marry me!"

"Okay, you're out." Mirajane moved to gather him up and set him back outside of the tub. He only stuck his tongue out at her before running out of the room, the two adults too concerned with one another to worry about the watery/bubbly trail he left behind. When she got out of the tub as well, Laxus was quick to wrap her up in a towel, pressing a kiss to her cheek as well.

"So how about it then, demon?" he was saying as she only stared up at him. "You wanna marry us?"

"I…I… I really wish I wasn't naked right now," she said, blushing slightly.

"Oh, no, I prefer it."

"Laxus."

He winked at her before, after making sure his towel was secure around his waist, moving to cup her cheeks and press a kiss against her lips.

"Be my wife, Mirajane," he whispered after, his breath hot against her ear as he bowed his head. "I need one if I'm gonna keep dealing with that."

As if on cue, Nathan came running back into the room, still just as soaked as before, but with the dog on his heels. The boy had no doubt gone and woken the mutt up to join in the fun.

"Bubbles!"

"No." Laxus turned away from Mirajane then to grab his son as he tried to run by and back over to the tub. "It's tile in here, kid. You could slip and fall. Stop running. What if you got hurt? Huh? Then what? You don't think, Nathan."

He only tilted his head back up at his father before sticking his tongue out. When Laxus sent him a look, he only giggled before ordering, "Marry me, Daddy!"

It was then though that it started. Mirajane turned away form the two of them then, almost dropping her towel as she brought a hand up to her eyes, tears welling there from the start.

"Uh, d-demon, I'll clean up the mess he made if that's what's-"

"No, it's just…" She sniffled. "I'm happy because… You're being a father. All worried and stuff. And you just asked me too… I need a second."

He blinked. Then he nodded and looked down at Nathan.

"Come on. We both need to get into something dry."

"Marry me!"

Laxus shocked the little boy when he pressed a kiss against his head. He shocked himself, honestly.

"Shuddup," he told his son then who only giggled and snuggled closer. "You little brat."

"Lil' b'at," he mimicked. "Marry me."

He got another kiss as Laxus turned to walk out of the room. "Sorry, kid, but I ain't on the table."

Mira thought that she was alone in the bathroom once they were gone, but she was quickly reminded that she wasn't when she felt a cold nose press against the hand that wasn't wiping at her tears.

"Oh," she sighed when she glanced down at her stray, err, dog. "You're still here?"

He licked her hand then as Mira only moved to scratch behind his ears. Then, after a moment, she leaned down to press a kiss against his head.

"Whoever thought we'd get to this point, huh? I… You're mommy's getting married."

She only got another lick before the dog turned to walk out and find out exactly what Laxus was doing to the little master. Nothing too bad, he hoped.

Then Mira was left to get dressed, hurriedly. She too wanted to know where the boys were.

When she left the bathroom though, she found them to be coming back into the bedroom, Nathan all clean and Laxus in a pair of boxers.

"He's too wound up to sleep in his own-"

"Where's the ring?"

Laxus smiled at Mirajane then, in the darkness of their bedroom, before going to drop the toddler down on the bed. Then he turned on the light and went to grab his discarded pants from earlier that day.

"Here you are, demon. Before you flip, I didn't pay too much. Just enough, I think. I mean, I know how you-"

The second she saw it, she launched herself into his arms. And Laxus only caught her because, well, she'd caught him enough in the past year. It was his turn to return the favor.

"I love it, I love you, I love this, I love Nate, I love our life, and I… Laxus."

He only bent his head, burying his nose in her white locks. "I love you too. And Nate and I just want you. And…and I guess the dog too. But mostly just you and Nate. And… I don't ever wanna be alone again, Mirajane."

"You won't be."

"And neither will you."

When she pulled back, he only moved to take the ring box from her so that he could slip it on her finger.

"Marry Mira?" Nathan had crawled over to the edge of the bed and was staring up at them. "Me?"

She was tearing up once more, staring at the boy's father for a long moment, before looking to him. Going over to the bed, she only bent down to kiss his blond head, making the toddler giggle.

"I'll marry you, Nate. Okay? I love you."

"Love Mommy," he agreed as she only moved to kiss both his cheeks then. "Love Mira."

"We love you too, buddy." Laxus spoke up then, glancing over at his son. "But this tracking water stuff everywhere was not cool. I-"

"Oh, Laxus, don't ruin this." Mirajane was stroking the boy's hair then as he only stared up at her with a grin. "Please."

It took some time to get all the water and deteriorating bubbles cleaned up, but they got it done. Laxus had been hoping that by the time they did, Nate would be wound down and they could put him in his bed so he could, well, finish off their special night.

No such luck.

"Mmmm. You feel that, Lax?"

"What?"

"Nostalgia."

"You can't be nostalgic about something that's only a year old."

"The heck I can't," Mirajane said as she sat down on their big bed, Nathan, his stuffed animals, dog, and father up there as well. "Who makes the rules then, about nostalgia? No one I know."

He only gave her a look though as he laid out on the bed. It used to feel so big and empty when he was alone. With a kid (nightmare), girlfriend (fiancée), a mutt (terror), and a whole bunch of stuffed animals (wasted money), he was lucky if he could even get comfortable.

Not that he hated it. It wasn't too bad. Not too bad at all.

"Just hurry up and get to the third song, huh? So I can make my requests?"

"Don't get over eager over there, Daddy," Mirajane said, holding back a yawn as she began to strum on her guitar. "We have all night."

"We have the rest of our lives," he corrected.

"And gee, the lifespan off a demon is…eternity? And a dragon is…next to eternity? So you can wait."

He only shut his eyes. "Yes, ma'am."

"Mommy sing," Nathan told his stuffed animals and dog, the former all inanimate and the latter being passed out at the foot of the bed. Not that it made a lick of difference to him. In his mind, no one could sleep while Mira was performing. Except for him. After the third song.

It was kinda their thing.

And even though it wasn't the night that Laxus had planned or the proposal Mirajane had always envisioned, neither could remember a time that they'd been happier. Especially when, after an hour, everyone was ready for bed and Mira, after hitting the lights and putting her guitar up, snuggled up to the snoozing Nate while staring at her brand new fiancé.

"I love you," she whispered softly. "I-"

"I'm ready, Mira."

"Laxus, gross. Ew. He's sleeping right here. I'm not-"

"What? No. Ew. No. I…" He sat up some, staring over at his repulsed fiancée, who looked about ready to slap him. "Mira…I'm ready to…try. For a baby."

"Huh?"

"Gramps wasn't talking about it, obviously he meant me proposing, but… I wanna give you everything you want." Laxus swallowed. "And you know how they say getting two dogs will calm down a rambunctious puppy? Well, I'm hoping the same thing happens with kids, because Nate-"

"Wait, you wanna… Really?"

"Yeah, demon. If you are, then I am." He smiled at her slightly. "Besides, the little dragon needs a little demon to boss around."

She grinned before moving to press a kiss to Nate's head. "I think he's more of a demon that you know, Laxus. I didn't have demon blood before I became one, after all. And he doesn't need mine to be mine."

"No," Laxus agreed softly. "He doesn't."

It was only once they were both lay there though, still and about to drift off, putting an end to their wonderful day, when Mira spoke again, exhaustion laced in her tone.

"Hey, Lax?"

"Mmmm?"

"…So about this second dog-"

"Go to bed, demon," he told her as he only reached over to pat Nate gently on the head. "We're already parents two times over. Soon to be, what? Three? Let's just leave it at that for now, huh? Wife?"

"Mmmm. Sure, husband." She giggled. "I love you."

Closing his eyes then, he let out a slow breath before saying, "Yeah, demon. I love you too."

* * *

><p><strong>So that's the end of this then. I'm thinking of either doing a 5-10 chapter follow up to this, just something real short, or doing one-shots like how I've done with my Remember Me series. Probably the first and if so, it'll be up in the next few days, but we'll see. <strong>


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